The essay I wrote in my English 3180 class that reflects the power of children over adults.
Kyra A. Sinclair
Professor Elizabeth Reimer
English 3180
27 November 2017
The Influence of a Safe Space on Marilla Cuthbert in L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables
The use of a safe space in L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables is often referenced through Anne’s imagination, but can also be recognized by Marilla’s emotional development. A safe space implies a zone of security, increased comfort and peace of mind (Glatzel), which Anne’s non-conformity and imagination progressively influence Marilla to become. Marilla begins the novel as a sharp, protective, and lonely utilitarian woman, but throughout builds a trust and love for Anne which influences her ability to show sympathy, tolerance, and love. Marilla’s “slightly… developed… indicative… sense of humor” (Montgomery 14) insinuates a hidden personality and the completeness she progressively feels around Anne allows her to pursue this trait and escape her confined and narrow mindedness. When Anne arrives at Green Gables she expands the boundaries of what is allowable in the household by challenging Marilla’s diligence to Avonlea standards. Through Anne’s optimism, ambitions, and imagination Marilla is humanized and her austerity is eliminated by an emerging maternal role.
Marilla desires to protect herself from vulnerability and does so through seclusion and reticence. Green Gables is situated on the outskirts of Avonlea and kept in such an orderly and neat manner that a dull perfection is portrayed, “the kitchen…was a cheerful apartment– or would have been… if it had not been so painfully clean… [giving] the appearance of an unused parlour” (Montgomery 7). This appearance questions the liveliness of Marilla as Rachel Lynde states “[I do] not call living in such a place living at all… It’s just staying” (7). The lifelessness that is portrayed is derived from Marilla’s diligence in adhering to the social code of Avonlea because it restricts her freedom and distinguishes what she can and cannot do. Marilla’s lonliness impacts her dependence on conformity because it gives her a purpose and something to pursue, thus impacting her fear because it is her only commitment. The relationship between Marilla and conformity forces her seclusion in order to protect herself from vulnerability. Christa Thomas in The Sweetness of Saying “Mother”? proposes Anne of Green Gables is a “narrative of female identity and self-development” by recognizing the incompleteness of Marilla and the “bringing together [of] an older woman… [who is] childless and a young girl who [is] motherless” (para. 1). Both Anne and Marilla lack a relationship which influences their lonliness, but the approaches they take to fill their void differ as Anne partakes “in the natural world [by] reproducing a sense of primal closeness and belonging” (Thomas para. 12), and Marilla isolates herself and depends on conformity. Marilla’s isolation and protective nature restrict her from expressing emotion, so as she naturally develops affection for Anne and delight as she digresses from conformity it is evident her rigidness and diligence were not authentic or gratifying. Anne’s presence comes as an opportunity for Marilla to recognize the humor and kindness that is evident in her character.
An immediate change to Marilla’s demeanor is shown by her responses when Anne arrives at Green Gables. These responses are the product of maternal instincts and show Marilla’s ability to nurture and the satisfaction she receives from it as “something like a reluctant smile… rusty from long disuse mellowed [her] grim expression” (Montgomery 26) shows after telling Anne she can stay at Green Gables. Marilla’s emotional development is shown by the emergence of sympathy because she diverts from emotional confinement. When she finds Anne teary eyed after accusing her of stealing the brooch Anne’s sorrow sends “a pang of pity” (97) through Marilla which insinuates guilt for making her upset. The presence of guilt proves a growing affection for Anne, and Marilla’s attempt to disregard this affection by distracting herself shows her reluctance to accept these maudlin emotions which she believes to be foolish. An evident change is also shown as Marilla develops on emotions she already obtains, such as humor. When Anne worries about Dianna’s wedding Marilla cannot hold back her laughter and falls into a chair laughing, which shows a divergence from her rigid and strict maternal approach and proves the potential she has to be expressive. When Matthew hears this laughter from outdoors and ponders “when had he ever heard Marilla laugh like that before?” (115), it is evident Marilla finds comfort in Anne which influences her emotions to be exposed. Both scenarios show progression from emotional confinement to emotional recognition through comfort and new experiences that come with raising a child.
Anne’s non-conformity influences Marilla to discipline and become tolerant of behaviors that contradict her standards of a proper upbringing. This tolerance is recognized by her allowance of Anne’s pleasures. When she allows Anne to have a sleepover with Dianna and go to the community concert despite her own beliefs, she deviates from forcing expectations upon Anne to giving her trusted freedom. Marilla’s developing affection for Anne is shown by her deviation from stressing conformity to worrying about the well-being of Anne. Before Marilla mentions the consequences these activities could have on Anne’s imagination, “they will fill her head… up with nonsense and excitement” (Montgomery 143), she mentions her concern for Anne’s health, worrying she may catch a cold or pneumonia. Marilla’s concern effects her leniency because she fears hurting Anne; this is shown when Marilla openly express her emotions by defending Anne in the currant wine scenario. Marilla’s leniency is shown when she agrees to talk with Mrs. Barry herself rather than getting Anne to confront the situation like she had been forced to do with Rachel Lynde. Marilla’s willingness to speak with Mrs. Barry shows a movement from her previous seclusion and distrust as she makes herself vulnerable through confrontation. After seeing Mrs. Barry her indignation upon arrival proves the security Marilla feels around Anne as she openly expresses her true opinion rather than suppressing it to conform to proper speech and lady-like behavior. She states “of all the unreasonable women I ever saw she is the worst…I just told her plainly that currant wine shouldn’t be drunk three tumblerfuls at a time…” (125), and thus shows her affection for Anne by sticking up for her and not letting Mrs. Barry blame Anne for the brunt of the situation. Through her trust in Anne, Marilla gains confidence and the ability to outwardly express her emotions.
Susan Drain claims Anne brings together individual and community, but the influence Anne has on Marilla can narrow this conclusion and propose she actually brings together individual and self. Drain claims “an essential part of belonging is the movement outward…[as] it is only with the independence made possible by the security of belonging that the fullest meaning… can truly be realized” (16). This directly correlates to Anne’s impact on Marilla. Anne builds Marilla’s trust and influences her to become standardized in expressing her emotions. She does this by challenging her stiff personality and immersing her in the maternal responsibility to raise a conforming Avonlea child. As Anne ages Marilla no longer possesses the responsibility to discipline and this allows her to acknowledge the love she has for Anne with no distractions. Although Marilla does not express her love with words until after Matthew’s death, she shows it by “[putting] her arms close about her girl and [holding] her tenderly to her heart” (256) which shows a new softness to Marilla as “crispness was no longer [her] distinguishing characteristic… [because she had] become mellow” (Montgomery 284). After Matthew passes, Marilla confides in Anne and shows complete trust and safety in her presence as she admits her true feelings, “it’s never been easy for me to say things out of my heart… I love you as dear as if you were my own flesh and blood and you’ve been my joy and comfort since you came to Green Gables” (275). Marilla’s confession shows her full change and proves Anne’s presence in her life has allowed her to find a sense of rootedness and belonging, which has changed her personality.
Anne is evidently a safe space for Marilla because she progressively influences her to trust, which alters her role and gives her a more fulfilling purpose. The emptiness Marilla experiences before Anne arrives is filled by Anne’s outgoing and rambunctious nature which challenges her rigid conformity. Marilla, through her maternal role, is exposed to new responsibilities which concern more than herself and force her to stray from her dependence on conformity. Sympathy, leniency and an outward expression of love show Marilla’s emotional development and her ability to be expressive, which show fallacy to her initial rigid description. Anne’s presence softens Marilla’s stern and conforming nature by challenging what is permissible and exposing her to new experiences, challenges and emotions.
Works Cited
Drain, S. “Community and the Individual in Anne of Green Gables The Meaning of
Belonging.” Children’s Literature Association Quarterly, vol. 11, no.1, 1986, pp. 15-
- Project MUSE,doi:10.1353/chq.0.0082.
Glatzel, M. “Creating Safe Space for Change.” 2010,
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/. Accessed 26 Nov. 2017.
Montgomery, L M. “Anne of Green Gables.” New York: Bantam Books, 1976. Print.
Thomas, Christa. “The Sweetness of Saying “mother”? Maternity and Narrativity in L.M.
Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables.” Studies in Canadian Literature / Études en
littérature canadienne [Online], vol. 34, no. 2, 2009. n. pag. Web. 24 Nov. 2017.
