Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Anne of Green Gables - Too Dated?

I have been re-reading (actually listening) to the Anne of Green Gables books - yearning for a simpler, kinder era? I started out buying one version of the audiobook, but I disliked the way the woman who read it did so. So I found another edition. This one wasn't quite as bad, but the reader STILL sounded bored with Anne's love of beautiful things and her imaginations. So I bought a third version. This one (Barbara Caruso's reading) isn't perfect, but it is better than the other two.

Some questions: Do today's children even read this book? I haven't heard any elementary or middle school girls talking about the book, nor have I seen them reading it. One class I subbed in had many of the books in the series, and they looked used, but I didn't see anyone reading them. Are they too dated? Would current students think her yearning to grow up to be a good person is completely anachronistic? Is it? I am reminded of the following quote:
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The things we admire in men, kindness and generosity, openness, honesty, understanding and feeling are the concomitants of failure in our system. And those traits we detest, sharpness, greed, acquisitiveness, meanness, egotism and self-interest are the traits of success. And while men admire the quality of the first they love the produce of the second. -John Steinbeck, novelist, Nobel laureate (1902-1968)
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And a silly question: Why does it take so long for them to brew tea? Anne get into trouble for forgetting to put the tea to draw and Matthew has to wait for his supper. When I brew tea, it only takes a couple of minutes - and I don't even use the microwave to heat the water. Curious.