Anne of Green Gables is the story of a young orphan Anne from the fictional community of Bolingbroke Nova Scotia (based upon the real community of New London). She is sent to Prince Edward Island after a childhood spent in strangers? homes and orphanages. Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert siblings in their fifties and sixties had decided to adopt a boy from the orphanage to help Matthew run their farm. They live at Green Gables their Avonlea farmhouse on Prince Edward Island. Through a misunderstanding the orphanage sends Anne Shirley.
Anne is described as bright and quick eager to please talkative and extremely imaginative. She has a pale face with freckles and usually braids her red hair. When asked her name Anne tells Marilla to call her Cordelia which Marilla refuses; Anne then insists that if she is to be called Anne it must be spelled with an e as that spelling is ?so much more distinguished.? Marilla at first says the girl must return to the orphanage but after a few days she decides to let her stay. Marilla feels that she could be a good influence on the girl and had also overheard that another disagreeable woman in town might take Anne in instead.
