Lucy Maud Montgomery: Scholars and fans gather to celebrate Anne of Green Gables' creator
Anne of Green Gables is never truly out of the spotlight on Prince Edward Island, however it’s been four years since scholars and fans gathered to study her creator.
More than 100 people, representing 18 counties, are attending the 15th Biennial Lucy Maud Montgomery Conference.
The attendees are united by their love of Anne Shirley, the Anne of Green Gables series, and author Lucy Maud Montgomery.
Some, like Irina Levchenko, have come from as far away as Vienna, Austria, a testament to the broad appeal of Anne.
“It was really like reading the book about me,” said Levchenko, who first read Anne of Green Gables when she was 20. “I think it’s like this for a lot of girls. They realize there’s something in them and that this book really explains the value of female experience, and gives girls a voice.”
It’s the first time the conference has been held since 2018. “Vision” was to be the theme for the 2020 conference, which was cancelled. So, this year’s theme became “re-vision.”
“It’s both the revision of writing the novels and the manuscripts and the letters,” said Emily Woster, a Lucy Maud Montgomery Scholar from Minnesota. “But it’s really, truly revision. Re-seeing her photography, her visual eye, her descriptions. Re-looking at how we see Montgomery.”
The tale of Anne Shirley has often been adapted, both an effect of and a reason for Montgomery’s broad appeal.
Anne of Green Gables has enjoyed an incredible popularity in Japan since the end of the Second World War. The Canadian classic has even been transformed into Japanese graphic novels.
“Adaptation is sort of a starting point to become a big fan of Anne of Green Gables,” said Yukari Yoshihara, and expert in adaptation. ”We are continuing this sort of tradition of adapting, in manga format.”
Translated into dozens of languages, Anne of Green Gables has been reimagined for stage and screen just as often.
“Montgomery keeps being reinvented over and over,” said Alan MacEachern, event co-chair. “Every time you think that it’s dying down a little bit, the Montgomery fascination blows up in a different way.”
Even after more than 100 years, Lucy Maud Montgomery remains the most influential Islander to ever put pen to paper.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre will do 'anything to win,' must condemn Alex Jones endorsement: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is ramping up his attacks on Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre as he promotes his government's federal budget.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
New evidence challenges the Pentagon's account of a horrific attack as the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan: CNN exclusive
New video evidence uncovered by CNN significantly undermines two Pentagon investigations into an ISIS-K suicide attack outside Kabul airport, during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Ottawa injects another $36M into fund for those seriously injured or killed by vaccines
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Ex-SNC executive sentenced to prison term in bridge bribery case
The RCMP says a former SNC-Lavalin executive has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in connection with a bribery scheme for a bridge repair contract in Montreal.