Character Relationship Map: Anne with an E

Characters

• Anne Shirley (played by Amybeth McNulty) — protagonist

  A 13-year-old imaginative and talkative orphan adopted by the Cuthberts. Despite a traumatic past and facing bullying and class-based discrimination in Avonlea, she uses her intelligence, problem-solv...

• Marilla Cuthbert (played by Geraldine James) — protagonist

  An elderly unmarried woman who initially plans to adopt a boy but takes in Anne instead. She is initially distrustful, mistakenly accuses Anne of theft over a misplaced brooch, and later realizes her...

• Matthew Cuthbert (played by R.H. Thomson) — supporting

  An elderly unmarried man who travels to the railway station to pick up an adopted child. He quickly bonds with Anne, later finds her after she flees the orphanage, and successfully persuades her to re...

• Diana Barry (played by Dalila Bela) — supporting

  Referenced only indirectly through her parents, who participate in the Avonlea community's initial class-based discrimination and hostility toward Anne following her arrival at Green Gables.

• Gilbert Blythe (played by Lucas Jade Zumann) — supporting
• Miss Stacy (played by Joanna Douglas) — supporting
• Rachel Lynde (played by Corrine Koslo) — supporting
• Josie Pye (played by Miranda McKeon) — cameo
• Prissy Andrews (played by Ella Jonas Farlinger) — cameo
• Minnie May Barry (played by Ryan Kiera Armstrong) — cameo
• Ruby Gillis (played by Kyla Matthews) — cameo
• Mrs. Eliza Barry (played by Helen Johns) — cameo
• Moody Spurgeon (played by Jacob Ursomarzo) — cameo
• Mr. Phillips (played by Stephen Tracey) — cameo
• Jane Andrews (played by Lia Pappas-Kemps) — cameo
• Winifred Rose (played by Ashleigh Stewart) — cameo
• Jerry Baynard (played by Aymeric Jett Montaz) — cameo
• Cole Mackenzie (played by Cory Gruter-Andrew) — cameo
• Sebastian 'Bash' Lacroix (played by Dalmar Abuzeid) — cameo
• Tillie Boulter (played by Glenna Walters) — cameo

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Anne Shirley → Matthew Cuthbert (Adoptive father and daughter) — Matthew offers Anne unconditional emotional support and practical protection.

  "Matthew immediately feels sympathy for Anne, searches for her after she leaves, and persuades her to return to Green Gables."

• Anne Shirley → Marilla Cuthbert (Adoptive mother and daughter) — Their bond develops from suspicion and strict discipline into a deeply protective family relationship.

  "Marilla initially expects to adopt a boy, but gradually accepts Anne after the brooch accusation and Anne's return to Green Gables."

• Gilbert Blythe → Winifred Rose (Former fiances) — Their planned marriage collapses when Gilbert recognizes his love for Anne.

  "Gilbert tells Winifred that he cannot marry her because his heart belongs elsewhere, despite her family's preparations for their wedding."

• Marilla Cuthbert → Matthew Cuthbert (Siblings) — The siblings differ over discipline but share responsibility for their home and Anne.

  "They jointly manage Green Gables, debate whether to keep Anne, and confront financial and household problems together."

• Miss Stacy → Anne Shirley (Teacher and student) — Miss Stacy becomes a formative teacher who supports Anne's intellectual and social confidence.

  "Miss Stacy leads lessons, encourages modern inquiry, and Anne defends her teaching against community suspicion."

• Diana Barry → Minnie May Barry (Sisters) — Diana protects and assists Minnie May as her older sister.

  "Diana rushes for help when Minnie May is choking and cares for her during the emergency."

• Anne Shirley → Miss Stacy (Student and teacher) — Miss Stacy encourages Anne's curiosity, while Anne becomes one of her most vocal student supporters.

  "Anne defends Miss Stacy when the community rejects her unconventional appearance and supports her teaching in Avonlea."

• Anne Shirley → Gilbert Blythe (Romantic partners) — Their relationship grows from academic rivalry into mutual romantic love.

  "Anne competes with Gilbert academically, later realizes she loves him, and Gilbert ends his planned marriage to Winifred because his heart belongs el...

• Prissy Andrews → Mr. Phillips (Engaged couple) — Their relationship is presented as a formal courtship leading toward marriage.

  "Prissy Andrews accepts Mr. Phillips's proposal."

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Anne Shirley → Diana Barry (Best friends) — Diana is Anne's closest peer ally and repeatedly validates her during humiliation and uncertainty.

  "Diana helps Anne at school, remains her friend after Anne cuts her hair, and promises never to forsake her."

• Sebastian 'Bash' Lacroix → Gilbert Blythe (Friends) — Sebastian treats Gilbert as a trusted companion and shares personal history with him.

  "Sebastian explains his family history and Trinidadian knowledge to Gilbert, and the two work and travel together."

• Gilbert Blythe → Sebastian 'Bash' Lacroix (Close friends and partners) — Their friendship is built through travel, shared work, and mutual reliance.

  "Gilbert and Sebastian travel together in Trinidad, share food with hungry men, and confront difficult social conditions."

• Anne Shirley → Cole Mackenzie (Emotional allies) — Anne recognizes Cole's isolation and offers him affirmation during his crisis.

  "Anne comforts Cole when he feels there is no place for him and tells him that a person's value includes what they contribute."

• Marilla Cuthbert → Rachel Lynde (Neighbors and advisers) — Rachel is a trusted but sometimes intrusive adviser in Marilla's domestic and community decisions.

  "Rachel advises Marilla about Anne and later persuades her to visit the school over concerns about Miss Stacy."

• Anne Shirley → Josephine Barry (Trusted mentor) — Josephine becomes an important adult ally in Anne's social and personal development.

  "Josephine participates in the response to Minnie May's illness, and Anne's Season 3 journey is organized around visiting Josephine's home."

Story Analysis

Across three seasons, Anne builds a family, expands her intellectual and moral world, and learns to connect belonging with self-definition, justice, and love.

Plot Progression

1. Season 1: Finding Green Gables — Anne arrives at Green Gables by mistake and must prove that she belongs. The brooch accusation and her flight expose her fear of abandonment, while Matthew and Marilla begin to become her family.
2. Season 1: School and Belonging — Anne enters school, forms a friendship with Diana, and competes with Gilbert. The choking emergency demonstrates her resourcefulness, while the mortgage crisis threatens her new home.
3. Season 2: New Ideas and New Pressures — Anne's curiosity expands through geology, performance, and debates about love. Gilbert and Sebastian's Trinidad storyline adds a parallel exploration of work, poverty, and social responsibility.
4. Season 2: Education and Difference — Miss Stacy's arrival challenges Avonlea's conventions, while Anne and her friends confront gender expectations and public judgment. Cole's crisis makes exclusion and creative identity central concerns...
5. Season 3: Origins and Community — Anne searches for her biological family while the community attempts to reconnect through shared meals and local events. Lessons, illness, and grief reveal the fragility of Avonlea's social bonds.
6. Season 3: Justice and Love — Anne's arguments for equality trigger public conflict, followed by the burning of the school and the disappearance of the printing press. At the same time, Anne recognizes her love for Gilbert, and Gi...