I flipped through the book and saw names of characters I had forgotten. Some of them jogged my memory; others did not. It made me realize how lazy I've become in my relationship with these dear old stories. I've seen the Kevin Sullivan film versions several times (the first two, anyway; the third I couldn't finish even once...blech), and I guess I thought that counted as staying in touch with Avonlea, but there is too much left out: Polly's Place, Gog and Magog, Ruby Gillis' death, Paul Irving, and several others whose names I can't even recall but who I know are important (the twins Marilla and Anne adopt, the first two men who propose to Anne, and so on).
I really feel toward Anne as I do those friends whom I have never stopped loving but with whom I've allowed myself to lose contact over the years. In my busyness and self-absorption I've convinced myself, perhaps, that they know I love them and that I'm here and I think of them. But that's just a pleasant little self-deception, after all. True friends may always be together in spirit, as Anne says to Diana (in the film; I don't know whether that line is in the book or not, further evidence of my sloppy fanhood), but kindred spirits know that while the two-disc movie version may be all right some of the time, once in a while we have to be willing to sit down with all eight volumes and dive back in again.
Marian,
ReplyDeleteI just found your blog. It's great!
I'd like to ask you something by email, if you don't mind. I'm at christinacap@gmail.com.
Thanks!
Christina