#AnneReadAlong2017 : 5 Favorite Anne of Green Gables Characters

October 27, 2017

As we are closing in on the conclusion of our read along (can you believe there are only two books left?!), it’s obvious Anne of Green Gables contains quite an amazing cast of characters. Sadly, but reflective of real life, these characters come and go from Anne Shirley Blythe’s life. Despite their waxing and waning that doesn’t mean they need to go far from our hearts! This month,  Jane @ Greenish Bookshelf and I encourage you to join us as we reflect on our favorite characters from the Anne of Green Gables series.

Feel free to join in our Top 5 List posts and link up below. Our schedule is merely recommended– you’re welcome to join in whatever you’d like whenever you’d like!

And without further ado…


Top 5 Favorite Anne of Green Gables Characters

 

1 – Miss Lavendar

Miss Lavendar Lewis is certainly one of Anne Shirley’s Kindred Spirits. The whole tale of Miss Lavendar is nestled deeply into my heart. She lost her one true love and grew old, but refused to let life get her down. She still made the most of her life— keeping Charlotta the Fourth around for company, using her active imagination, and focusing on what brings her joy. Lavendar’s story, thankfully, ends positively. While she echoes much of Anne’s character, and in some ways acts as foreshadowing for Anne’s own future, she is still her own person. Miss Lavendar’s story gave me hope and joy. And that was all I needed to fall in love.

 

2 – Philippa Gordon

Philippa “Phil” Gordon is a remarkable conundrum to me. A bit ditzy, a bit day-dreamy, a bit spacey– she reminds me quite a bit of Luna Lovegood. Because, like Luna, Phil is also incredibly self-aware. She knows she is indecisive and flippant in her comments. While she tries to better herself, Phil also doesn’t let her “failures” get her down. When she makes a mistake or realizes she is acting in a way others would prefer she shouldn’t, Phil makes a note and moves on. She doesn’t wallow or pout. She never feels sorry for herself. She accepts that sometimes, life throws you lemons and you can’t be perfect. So just do your best! Now– that’s a message the world needs to hear more often.

 

3 – Susan Baker/Rebecca Dew

Okay, it feels a bit like cheating to put these two ladies together, I know. They both held similar roles in the life of Anne Shirley Blythe, but they are definitely distinct and unique characters. I adore how Susan Baker and Rebecca Dew become Kindred Spirits upon meeting in Anne of Ingleside. It’s heart-warming to see this happen to someone who isn’t Anne herself! Everyone deserves this sort of friendship. Besides, they both have a lovely level of sass which makes my own experiences at both Windy Poplars and Ingleside even brighter. After all, you can’t be all whimsy and romantical all the time, right? Right.

 

4 – Anne Shirley Blythe

How can I omit Anne Shirley Blythe? Yes, she is the protagonist. This is her life story! That said, it’s worth noting I am often one who cheers for the underdogs and the sidekicks. There are few main characters I’d list as my favorite characters in literature. But Anne? She’s magical. She is winsome, romantic, light-hearted, passionate, and carefree. Her ability to see the joy in the world is mesmerizing. I need her in my life just to help me see past the junk which makes me unhappy. Anne Shirley Blythe helps me achieve a level of zen no other character ever has. And for that, I thank her.

 

5 – Captain Jim Boyd

Yup. Captain Jim is my favorite character!! I bet you didn’t expect THAT. Captain Jim, unfortunately, only appears in Anne’s House of Dreams. But he found his way into the hearts of the Blythe family so deeply, I imagine he will be mentioned in all the other books following. After all, Anne’s first born son is named after him.

Captain Jim, just like all the other characters I adore listed above, is unabashedly himself. But unlike most of the characters I’ve mentioned before he is both humble and a bit of a scallywag. I appreciate how homely he is; Captain Jim never put on airs or expected that he could do better than anyone else. He always seemed to sell himself just a tiny bit short. Not in a demeaning way, mind you. He also loves to provide a good-natured ribbing to many of the Four Winds residents. While Anne, Gilbert, and sometimes even Leslie, can dish it right back, some of my favorite moments in Anne’s House of Dreams center around Captain Jim’s relentless teasing of Miss Cornelia.

 

Despite the fact that there are two books left to go, I have a feeling Anne’s House of Dreams will remain my favorite book in the series if only for the inclusion of three of my top 5 favorite Anne characters. Only time will tell for sure, but it will be difficult for someone to surpass my love of Captain Jim!


Other Top 5 Favorite Anne of Green Gables Characters

[Your post here!~]


What do you think?

  • Who are your favorite characters from the Anne of Green Gables series?
  • Who are your LEAST favorite characters from this series?
  • Are you someone who often consciously picks out their favorite characters in a book/series? Why or why not?

18 Comments

  • Krysta October 28, 2017 at 6:26 pm

    All your choices are excellent, but my #1 character is Matthew. 🙂 He’s just so sweet and understanding.

    • Jackie B November 4, 2017 at 11:05 am

      I thought about listing Matthew instead of Susan Baker/Rebecca Dew. However, having only read Anne of Green Gables once, I am already forgetting him. O_o At some point, I’ll re-read this series and I’m sure he’ll come back brightly. I completely agree with your assessment; he’s such a loving father figure.

      • Krysta November 4, 2017 at 4:54 pm

        Well, you clearly made this challenge too difficult by asking for only five characters. 😉

        I think one of Anne’s kids is named for Matthew, which is a nice tribute and a reminder of how much she means to him. I want to say it’s Jem’s middle name, but I should probably look that up to be sure.

        • Jackie B November 5, 2017 at 8:28 pm

          You are correct! Named for Captain Jim and Matthew– Jem’s naming makes me so happy.

          Perhaps in the future, I’ll need to extend these to top 10 lists?! That seems like it might beat me, though. I can barely make it through these top 5 lists sometimes. I just can’t seem to make up my mind.

          • Krysta November 7, 2017 at 9:46 pm

            I think I really just want to be able to list ALL the characters. Even the annoying ones are interesting or funny or just really true to life. Montgomery’s characterization is one of her strongest qualities!

  • Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks October 29, 2017 at 10:58 am

    I’ve got a lot of catching up to do with your blog, I’m afraid 😀 get ready for a comment dump!

    I will agree about Miss Lavendar! She’s so cool. And so quirky and spunky 😀 I also really loved her home. And that sweet tooth she has? Dang.

    I had mixed feelings about Philippa. I don’t know if she comes up in later books, the last one I read was Anne of the Island (I should be able to read more Anne books soon). But Phil.. I don’t know. She had nice sides to her, but at times I felt like she was maybe a bit shallow, maybe felt a little too good about herself? Although I’m sure that’s what Montgomery intended. But I don’t know if I would have liked being friends with her 🙂

    And of course Anne is wonderful. Although I also really like Diana. She’s quite understated in the story, buta very lovely character nonetheless.

    • Jackie B November 5, 2017 at 4:26 pm

      I can SUPER EXCITED for a comment dump! That’s been a bit of my modus operandi lately. I haven’t been making as much time for blog hopping as I’d like (Slacker? Perhaps)– so I give you a storm of comments when I show up too. My absence doesn’t mean I love you any less. In fact, it probably just shows how much more I adore your blog. Because I *want* to read ALL of your posts at once. 😀 your posts bring my joy.

      Anyway.

      Right?! I imagine Miss Lavendar, you and I would have amazing tea parties. Just sayin’.

      Your points about Phil (and we don’t REALLY see her beyond Anne of the Island) are some of the reasons I like her. She doesn’t really care about what other people think about her. I need more people like that around in my life. There is a difference between being indifferent and being empowered, however. I feel like Phil is merely empowered to be herself– not indifferent or arrogant. But, that’s my own perception.

      I love Diana, too! This is the downside of picking only the top 5 characters. I think my love for her wanes as she gets older, sadly. But no spoilers. 😉 I am curious to see what you think of her development as you keep reading. For sure!

      • Evelina @ AvalinahsBooks November 6, 2017 at 3:10 pm

        Oh no worries, I love your comment dumps too 😀 you’re my best commenter, like, everrr 😀 oh my gosh, my Lavendar’s tea parties… and the dresses…. yes please! And I think I know what you mean, Diana was definitely the best as a child 🙂

  • Books, Vertigo and Tea October 29, 2017 at 1:34 pm

    Oh how fun! It has been so long that it is hard to say but maybe Matthew Cuthbert and Diana Barry are among my faves <3

    • Jackie B November 4, 2017 at 11:15 am

      Matthew makes me so happy! I just wish he had lasted longer… Honestly, I feel like Montgomery wouldn’t killed him off in book 1 if she expected the series to continue. The complete lack of a father figure makes me so had. And he was so sweet and charming!

      Diana– if I was only thinking about the first book, Diana would definitely be in my top 5. But I feel like was she grows up, Diana fades some. It’s like toher, growing up means changing who you are and fitting in. I definitely feel like she and Anne separate over the course of the books. It’s a bit heartbreaking, but at the same time, that feels so normal.

      • Books, Vertigo and Tea November 5, 2017 at 12:58 pm

        Yes. I was devastated at the loss of Matthew. I also agree with your points on Diana in later books. She does begin to take a bit of a back seat as Anne grows and they evolve. I think I just cherish the idea of such a dear friend 😉

  • KrystiYAandWine October 29, 2017 at 5:21 pm

    Oooh, you guys are getting so close to done! That’s crazy! Great post on the characters. They sound really fun. 🙂

    • Jackie B November 5, 2017 at 6:23 pm

      I know, right?! I can’t believe there are only two books left! That also means we’re getting up on the holidays… I’d better start working on my holiday gift buying. Seriously. That will sneak up on me SO quickly!

  • theorangutanlibrarian November 6, 2017 at 3:33 pm

    Oh Miss Lavendar is such a wonderful choice! And I love Phil! And of course Anne has to go on the list!! I’m really looking forward to House of Dreams now (I’ve still not read it) Great post!!

    • Jackie B November 10, 2017 at 1:25 pm

      !! I’m so glad you’re looking forward to Anne’s House of Dreams! It’s certainly one of my favorites. There are some great characters to come in your reading, for sure.

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