Anne Shirley Timeline and Summary

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• Anne waits for Matthew Cuthbert at the Charlottetown train station, thinking he's going to adopt her. When they reach the Cuthberts' house, Green Gables, she learns that they had wanted a boy and that she will probably be returned.
• Anne is taken to Mrs. Spencer's, the woman who took her out of the orphan asylum. Mrs. Spencer wants to give Anne to Mrs. Blewett as a caregiver for her children, but Marilla doesn't give Anne up.
• The next day, Anne learns that Marilla and Matthew are going to keep her.
• Shortly after, Anne insults the town busybody, Mrs. Rachel Lynde. Marilla forces her to apologize, and her apology speech wins over Mrs. Lynde.
• Anne meets her best friend, neighbor Diana Barry.
• Anne makes up a confession about taking and losing Marilla's amethyst brooch so she can go to the Sunday school picnic. Luckily, Marilla finds the brooch and realizes that Anne is honest.
• In her first month of school, Anne cracks her slate over Gilbert Blythe's head because he makes fun of her hair. Thus, her giant grudge against Gilbert begins.
• Anne invites Diana to tea and accidentally gets Diana drunk. Diana's mother forbids Diana from spending time with Anne.
• Anne saves Diana's baby sister from dying of croup. Diana's mother apologizes to Anne and the two friends are reunited.
• Anne and Diana accidentally intrude on Diana's great-aunt Josephine's slumber by jumping on her bed, but Josephine is won over by Anne's apology.
• Anne and Marilla entertain the new minister and his wife, but Anne accidentally puts anodyne liniment in the cake instead of flour. The minister's wife is sympathetic, and they become friends.
• School snob Josie Pye dares Anne to walk across the ridgepole of Diana's roof. Anne accepts the dare, falls off the roof, and breaks her leg.
• Anne gets a pretty dress from Matthew for Christmas and wears it to the Christmas concert, where she recites for the first time.
• In acting out a scene from "Lancelot and Elaine," Anne almost drowns when the flat she's lying on has a hole in it. Gilbert Blythes saves her and asks for her forgiveness, but Anne won't give it. She regrets it afterward.
• Anne and Diana visit great aunt Josephine, experience town life, and stay in her spare room.
• Anne competes with Gilbert in studying for the entrance exam to Queen's. They tie for first place.
• Anne recites at a fancy concert at a nearby town and does so well she gets an encore.
• At Queen's, Anne and Gilbert compete again, this time for the gold medal and the Avery scholarship to a local college. Gilbert gets the medal and Anne gets the scholarship.
• Matthew dies of a heart attack when he finds out the bank they've invested in has failed, which means a heartbroken Anne and Marilla also have to cope with a loss of income and running the farm.
• Anne decides to give up her scholarship to stay at Green Gables and help Marilla. Gilbert hears about this, and gives up his teaching position at the Avonlea school so Anne can have it.
• Anne makes up with Gilbert Blythe, and they decide to become friends.