crantz | (no subject)

As much as she hated Gilbert, however, did she love Diana, with all the love of her passionate little heart, equally intense in its likes and dislikes. One evening Marilla, coming in from the orchard with a basket of apples, found Anne sitting along by the east window in the twilight, crying bitterly.

"Whatever's the matter now, Anne?" she asked.

"It's about Diana," sobbed Anne luxuriously. "I love Diana so, Marilla. I cannot ever live without her. But I know very well when we grow up that Diana will get married and go away and leave me. And oh, what shall I do? I hate her husband—I just hate him furiously. I've been imagining it all out—the wedding and everything—Diana dressed in snowy garments, with a veil, and looking as beautiful and regal as a queen; and me the bridesmaid, with a lovely dress too, and puffed sleeves, but with a breaking heart hid beneath my smiling face. And then bidding Diana goodbye-e-e—" Here Anne broke down entirely and wept with increasing bitterness.

--Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery

Two things, here. Why is the past always kinda gay?* And: Oh Anne, I know you hate Gilbert but I will always love him for instigating the 'Carrots! Carrots!' slate to the head scene.

Further on, I'm enjoying the melting of Marilla.

Quick castlist:

Anne Shirley: Orphan. Redhead. Feisty.
Marilla Cuthbert: Would be sassy if she didn't want to be so proper. Trying to raise Anne up right,
Matthew Cuthbert: Marilla's brother. Probably not a serial killer. Thinks Anne is awesome, but is staying out the whole parenting thing.
Diana: Anne's bosom companion. Bff. Most beloved. Shit goes down with alcohol later on I shan't get into. Very pretty.
Gilbert: Teased Anne, got bashed in the head by Anne, seeks to appease Anne but Anne shall not be moved! I suspect that means they will be married.
Mrs. Rachel Lynde: Kind of a dick.

Anyway, the melting of Marilla. She's gone from 'I'm not telling the child we're keeping her' to 'Anytime she makes me interested in what she's saying, I will tell her to shut up' to 'Oh my god she is the physical form of all my bad thoughts ever MUST NOT LAUGH', and finally to giving in and actually laughing from time to time at the shit Anne gets up to.

And I'm only on page 80 of 222! I like going from 'Marilla, you hardass' to 'MARILLA ILU'

Current enjoyment status of book: HIGH

*I'm told this is a trend with Anne and girl friendships.

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I was watching the movie, the one with Megan Follows as Anne, and my mother actually did think Anne was a lesbian. At first I was all, "WTF!" but then I stopped and thought about it and yeah. I can totally see why she would think that. And she never even read the books

I'm putting it down to a lot of 'it's the past. Everyone is pretty gay', the stuff.

Then again, sometimes I wonder if it's uptightness now, or repression then.

Some of both, I think.

AO3 has some Anne/Diana, and some slashing Anne with a character from Anne of Windy Poplars.

I am thinking Anne in the present time probably wouldn't care who she got with, as long as she could be as fanciful and poetic about it as possible.

Yeah. She's like an emo kid without the depression.

it's so damn cute.

Yeah, it kinda is. She's like a non-annoying Mary Sue.

Also, Rachel improves.

She did give Marilla some damn fine advice about Anne's school problems, I'll say that. But man, when she was like 'Oh, is this your orphan? What an ugly orphan' I admit I'm still stuck on that.

PLUS THIS WHOLE SPEECH:

"No," said Marilla slowly, "I'm not trying to excuse her. She's been very naughty and I'll have to give her a talking to about it. But we must make allowances for her. She's never been taught what is right. And you WERE too hard on her, Rachel."

Marilla could not help tacking on that last sentence, although she was again surprised at herself for doing it. Mrs. Rachel got up with an air of offended dignity.

"Well, I see that I'll have to be very careful what I say after this, Marilla, since the fine feelings of orphans, brought from goodness knows where, have to be considered before anything else. Oh, no, I'm not vexed—don't worry yourself. I'm too sorry for you to leave any room for anger in my mind. You'll have your own troubles with that child. But if you'll take my advice—which I suppose you won't do, although I've brought up ten children and buried two—you'll do that 'talking to' you mention with a fair-sized birch switch. I should think THAT would be the most effective language for that kind of a child. Her temper matches her hair I guess. Well, good evening, Marilla. I hope you'll come down to see me often as usual. But you can't expect me to visit here again in a hurry, if I'm liable to be flown at and insulted in such a fashion. It's something new in MY experience."

THAT WHOLE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE SPEECH, MAN. It gave me internet people flashbacks.

Yeahhhhh. It takes a while for her to mellow.

I've brought up ten children and buried two

Might want to use a smaller birch switch, ma'am.

*dies*

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