Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

"She could keep silence, it was evident, as energetically as she could talk" (23).

"She [Marilla] had intended to teach Anne the childish classic, 'Now I lay me down to sleep.' But she had, as I have told you, the glimmerings of a sense of humor--which is simply another name for a sense of the fitness of things. It suddenly occurred to her that that simple little prayer, sacred to white-robed childhood lisping at motherly knees, was entirely unsuited to this freckled witch of a girl who know and cared nothing about God's love, since she had never had it translated to her though the medium of human love" (64).

"Marilly permitted the 'chatter' until she found herself becoming too interested in it, whereupon she always promptly quenched Anne by a curt command to hold her tongue" (79).

"'Oh, but there's such a difference between saying a thing yourself and hearing other people say it,' wailed Anne" (84).

"'Saying one's prayers isn't exactly the same thing as praying,' said Anne meditatively" (95)

 "'That child is hard to understand in some respects. But I believe she'll turn out all right yet. And there's one thing certain, no house will ever be dull that she's in'" (Marilla, 128).

"I've made up my mind to stay simply for the sake of getting better acquainted with that Anne-girl,' she [Miss Berry] said frankly. 'She amuses me, and at my time of life an amusing person is a rarity'" (196).

"'Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with not mistakes in it yet?'" (Anne, 218).

"The pleasures and pains of life came to her [Anne] with trebled intensity. Marilla felt this and was vaguely troubled over it, realizing that the ups and downs of existence would probably bear hardly on this impulsive soul and not sufficiently understanding that the equally great capacity for delight might more than compensate. Therefore Marilla conceived it to be her duty to drill Anne into a tranquil uniformity of disposition as impossible and alien to her as to a dancing sunbeam in on of the brook shallows" (220).

"But I don't see the use of meeting trouble halfway, do you, Marilla? I think it would be better just to enjoy Mr. Allan while we have him" (310).

"'I"m very glad you feel the same,' said Anne decidedly. 'It's so encouraging. I shan't worry so much over that after this. But I dare say there'll be other things to worry me. They keep coming up new all the time--things to perplex you, you know. You settle one question and there's another one right after. There are so many things to be thought over and decided when you're beginning to grow up. It keeps me busy all the time thinking them over and deciding what is right. It's a serious thing to grow up, isn't it, Marilla? But when I have such good friends as you and Matthew and Mrs. Allan and Miss Stacey I ought to grow up successfully" (312).

"'I don't know--I don't want to talk as much,' she said, denting her chin thoughtfully with her forefinger. 'It's nicer to think dear, pretty thoughts and keep them in one's heart, like treasures. I don't like to have them laughed at or wondered over" (315).

"She had a genius for friendship. Girl friends she had in plenty" (351).

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