Netflix's Anne With An E is bursting with life lessons for people of any age. It was refreshing to watch the main character living brightly without allowing outside influences to dim her spirit for long. Although she had several rough spots, Anne always found a way to see the good in things even if the good thing was very small.
It was perhaps because of her background that she was able to be a better sharer of knowledge than her actual teacher Mr. Phillips. Whether it was protecting her friends or building a magical world that was full of wonder, Anne established herself as someone who loved to learn and to share what she knew with other people.
Friendship Is Sacred
Relationships were of great importance to Anne, whether they were romantic, filial, or platonic. Her friendships seemed to be the most cherished connections in which she could truly be herself without trying to be someone else to please people.
Even if they started out rocky or unsure, Anne gave her all to her friends and tried to help them as best as she could. The best displays of Anne’s fondness of friendship were her relationships with Diana, Cole, and Miss Josephine. Through every connection, Anne showed the audience how life can be made richer with the right people around.
Imagination Is An Open Door
It seemed like Anne never had a dull moment. Even the mundane things were times of exploration and creative wondering. With a background like Anne’s, it’d be easy to understand if she were a much angrier or closed off person.
However, Anne shone brightly even in her tough times and was a great example of how the use of imagination can lead to some of the best inventions and ideas. Some of the great results of Anne’s ever-expanding imagination were the secret hideout in the woods, the life of Princess Cordelia, and the beginning of her friendship with Diana.
Beauty Isn’t Just Blonde Or Brunette
Often times Anne was upset about how she looked and it was mainly because of her hair. She tried to dye her red hair a darker color, and often tried to detract from the intensity of its color by wearing ribbons and bows. As time passed, Anne began to focus less on the color of her hair and more on the people around her.
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Her character development in this area establishes the idea that being present is more important than trying to fit into a mold of the perfect person. Anne showed up for her friends and the people that she loved and her desire to look a certain way faded into the background.
Have Your Friend’s/Frenemies Back
There were several times that Anne stuck up for her friends. Anne stuck up for Miss Josephine, Miss Stacy, and Cole whenever she could. She didn’t allow any disrespect if she was around, and she always tried to help.
Not only did she defend her friends, but she also defended people who didn’t really treat her in the best way. A good example of that is when she stood up for Josie Pye against Billy “The Bully” Andrews. It’s important that this type of behavior is normalized and Anne’s character promoted it in a great way.
It’s Tragic To Be Unkind
Even when it was difficult, Anne tried to be kind to everyone. Of course, there were times when she failed, like when she avoided Gilbert so Ruby wouldn’t be sad, but she never did it just for the sake of being mean.
She constantly went out of her way to be welcoming and nice to people without expecting much in return. Anne’s kindness was a great display of character and quite heartwarming to watch.
Living Is Learning
Anne took every opportunity to learn something new. Whether reading about the properties of real gold or simply reading classic literature, Anne was an eager consumer of new information and stories.
It seemed like she was always learning on a very conscious level and trying to share her newfound knowledge with other people. She showed the audience the benefits of always being willing to learn, and one of those benefits is the ability to better connect with other people.
Great Intentions ≠ Great Results
She really did have the best intentions 99 percent of the time, but sometimes the results didn’t really reflect the same amount of happiness. One example of this is when she wrote to Jeannie while pretending to be Matthew.
Anne just wanted him to be happy, and she thought a world-whirling romance would be just the thing to brighten his days. However, Matthew was extremely upset when he found out, and her apology did little to soothe the sting that he felt from her actions. It was a great lesson that intentions are not the only important aspect of an outcome.
If It Looks Shady, Look Again
Anne had really good instincts. Sometimes she didn’t really know why she felt a certain way, and at times she ignored her feelings. Her character showed the negative effects of ignoring that small nagging feeling that something is amiss. When the two conmen were living with them, there were many times that Anne witnessed something peculiar or felt like something didn’t add up.
Even when she gathered the courage to say something, the adults didn’t listen. Those scenes are always hard to watch. It seems like it would be so easy for the character to simply yell out the truth in the midst of chaos. Anne didn’t choose to do so after being scolded by Marilla, and the town ended up being scammed.
Have Your Own Back
In between standing up for her friends and family, Anne often had to stick up for herself. It was a course of great character development, especially coming from those dark flashbacks of her being bullied and tormented by the other children in the orphanage.
She was constantly defending herself from people who questioned her background, who made fun of how she looked, and those who misunderstood her. Anne’s character was a young girl with blossoming courage that made the show even more engaging.
The Past Doesn’t Last
Anne struggled throughout her childhood and almost none of it was her fault. Despite her troubles, Anne found a way to work her way beyond them. She was a living example of the saying, “there's a light at the end of the tunnel.”
Watching Anne overcome many difficulties was also a great reminder that nothing lasts forever, bad times included. Things were always changing in Anne’s world, and she found a way to make the best of it.