Quote:
Originally Posted by issybird
I think this is an excellent point and also results from LMM’s essential weakness as a writer of novels*, namely that her forte was the short story. It’s been noted that Anne is really just a series of vignettes; LMM can’t plot for the long-range. So I think character, backstory, whatever, are always fluid in service of that particular vignette. Something like a soap opera, in fact, where you’re not supposed to be too good at remembering. Or even supermarket tabloids; how often can Harry and Meghan reasonably be expected to be divorcing?
|
And how many times can ‘Jen & Brad’ reunite and have a baby? I agree with this critique as well. I had a child’s perspective that she’d written a novel, but it’s actually a series of sketches. I’ll always treasure the book, but I can why others may not.
Issybird’s observation about LLM’s strength & weaknesses regarding longer works brings to mind an excerpt my sister typed out and sent me, from one of Montgomery’s letters. She talks about needing to lengthen one of her shorter works, and also mentions not wishing to develop Anne further. (Apologies if transcription errors have crept in).
Letter to George Boyd MacMillan Feb. 20 1910
‘I had no idea it was going to be this long before I should get around to answering your letter. It was not for lack of time-I had too much time. But ever since New Year’s I have been suffering from a nervous breakdown and my doctor advised me to do as little mental work, even letter writing, as possible.
I suffered from insomnia and a dreadful sort of restlessness, which when it took possession of me seemed to unfit me utterly for anything which required the least thought...
You will remember that last spring I sent you my serial story “Una of the Garden.” Well, my publishers thought that if this story were a little longer it would do well to be issued in a book form. Accordingly about the beginning of November I went to work at it. I had to have it done by the first of the year.
It was originally about 24,000 words long. I expanded it to 48,000. This meant writing it over twice and as the time was short I had to crowd three months work into six weeks. I had besides to suffer a good deal of worry connected with family and personal concerns; and altogether, as I have said, the result was a nervous breakdown.
The suffering of nervous maladies is quite indescribable. I should far rather endure physical pain. Apart from the restlessness which was so marked a feature of my case, the most distreesing symptom seemed to be a horrible dread of the future-of any future. I felt frightened of life-any life, even a most happy and pleasant one...
“Anne of Green Gables” sold better this year than last, which my publishers tell me is a very uncommon thing. I suppose the two books help to sell each other. I have been flooded with letters entreating me to write a third Anne book and the Page Co. are also very anxious for it; but I feel I simply could not do it. The freshness has gone out of the Anne idea. It may return some day. But unless it does I shall never throw any further light on Anne’s career. That must be left to the “scope of the imagination.”
It’s bit staggering to read about the time pressures Montgomery was working under, let alone having to manually retype everything. Add to that the personal gremlins and family pressures she was contending with, and there wasn’t much room for creative genius. So as Matthew would have said, “allowances can be made”. It’s quite amazing she was able to write what she did. But in any case, she wasn’t interested in taking Anne further, and perhaps wrote longer works because her publishers found that they sold better.