Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel Plot Summary
Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.
Anne Shirley, Megan Follows dreams of becoming a writer after two years teaching at Avonlea, but her story “Averil’s Atonement” is rejected by a magazine. Her best friend Diana Barry, Schuyler Grant, has become engaged, and Marilla’s eyesight has also improved, Colleen Dewhurst opening an opportunity for Anne to follow her ambitions, which have been on hold since giving up the Avery Scholarship.
Anne’s misadventures in Avonlea continue. Unbeknownst to her, Diana submitted “Averil’s Atonement” into a contest to introduce the new Rollings Reliable baking powder to the public, and it wins first prize. Anne is grateful to her friend for trying to boost her spirits, but finds the widespread recognition humiliating. She later sees her jersey cow Dolly in Rachel Lynde’s field, which she had promised would never happen again. After unsuccessfully trying to get Dolly back to her field, Anne sells the cow to Gilbert Blythe, Jonathan Crombie and his father. She laments about her “Jonah day” to Marilla, who offers encouragement and plum puffs, only to discover she had actually sold Rachel’s cow instead of her own. When she and Marilla pay a visit to the Lyndes to explain her mistake, Rachel’s ailing husband Thomas passes away, which Rachel fears will force her to sell her farm and leave Avonlea.
At a clambake for Diana’s engagement, Gilbert Blythe, Jonathan Crombie proposes to Anne, but she rejects his offer, convinced that their marriage would be unhappy and unsuccessful. At Diana’s wedding, she sees Gilbert with a young woman named Christine Stuart. Gilbert insists they are just friends, and offers to wait for Anne, but she affirms she will never marry. Back at Green Gables, Marilla reveals that Rachel will be moving in with her. Anne decides to accept a job offer from her former teacher, Miss Stacey, as an English literature teacher at Kingsport Ladies’ College in New Brunswick.
Anne initially finds her job difficult. Kingsport is dominated by the wealthy Pringle family, who resent that she received the position over one of their own. The students in her class, led by Jen Pringle, delight in causing trouble to make Anne look like a bad teacher. Anne must also endure the cold and sarcastic principal of Kingsport Ladies’ College, Katherine Brooke, Rosemary Dunsmore. She grows close to Emmeline Harris, a bright student whose widowed father, Morgan Harris, Frank Converse Anne had encountered previously. After Anne and Emmeline cause a disturbance, angering Katherine, Morgan withdraws both his daughter and his financial support from K.L.C. and confines Emmeline with her stern grandmother Margaret Harris and repressed aunt Pauline at their mansion, Maplehurst. Anne convinces Mrs Harris to let her tutor Emmeline at home, and let Pauline attend a friend’s wedding anniversary overnight. Meanwhile, Anne and Miss Stacey organize a play to raise money for the school, with Jen Pringle playing the lead role of Mary, Queen of Scots. When Jen calls off sick on the day of the show, Anne convinces Morgan to let Emmeline star in the play, which they have been rehearsing during tutoring sessions. The show is a success and Anne finally wins the Pringles’ support. After returning from a trip to Boston with the Harris family, she runs into Gilbert and finds out that he is engaged to Christine Stuart. Encouraged by Gilbert to try writing about her home town, she publishes a series of short stories entitled Avonlea Vignettes. During a hospital benefit ball, Morgan asks her to marry him, which she declines.
After Mrs Harris dies, Pauline accepts a marriage proposal and Morgan decides to sell Maplehurst and return to Boston with Emmeline. Anne resigns from K.L.C. and persuades Katherine to come back to Avonlea with her for the summer holidays. Upon arriving at Green Gables and meeting Diana’s new baby, Anne discovers that Gilbert has fallen ill with scarlet fever, which he contracted at medical school in Halifax. Finally realizing her true feelings for Gilbert, Anne rushes to his bedside, where he tells her that he has called off his engagement to Christine because Anne is the only one for him. After recovering, he proposes once more, and Anne accepts him with a kiss.
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel Timeline
Follow the complete movie timeline of Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.
Anne's writer dream vs. rejection
After two years of teaching at Avonlea, Anne longs to be a writer, but her story 'Averil's Atonement' is rejected by a magazine. The rejection shakes her confidence and keeps her ambitions in check for the time being. It also sets the stage for later developments in her career.
Diana's engagement changes the circle
Diana Barry becomes engaged, reshaping the social circle around Avonlea. Anne experiences mixed feelings—happiness for her friend's future, and anxiety about how it might affect her own life. The engagement hints at looming choices in both love and career for Anne.
Opportunity opens for Anne
Marilla's improved eyesight opens the door for Anne to pursue her literary dreams that have been on hold. Anne weighs the opportunity against continuing her teaching career at Avonlea. The moment marks a turning point in her self-belief and future prospects.
Contest misstep and prize
Unbeknownst to Anne, Diana submits 'Averil's Atonement' to a contest promoting Rollings Reliable baking powder, and it wins first prize. Anne experiences both gratitude and humiliation as the public credit for the work lands on her name without consent. The incident underlines the tension between fame and authorship.
Dolly's field and the sale
Anne confronts Dolly in Rachel Lynde's field, a situation she had promised would not recur. After a failed attempt to return the cow to her own field, she sells Dolly to Gilbert Blythe and his father. Marilla and Anne prepare to explain the sale, unaware of the full consequences.
Lynde visit and Thomas's death
Anne and Marilla explain the sale to the Lyndes, and Rachel's household suffers a new blow when Thomas Lynde dies, threatening the Lynde farm's future. The community mood grows somber as bereavement weighs on Rachel. Anne realizes the ripple effects of her actions.
Clambake proposal and rejection
At a clambake for Diana's engagement, Gilbert Blythe proposes to Anne, and she declines, convinced their marriage would be unhappy. Gilbert's feelings remain strong, but Anne believes they would be ill-suited. The moment deepens the complexity of their relationship.
Diana's wedding and Christine
During Diana's wedding, Anne sees Gilbert with a young woman named Christine Stuart. Gilbert insists they are only friends and promises to wait for Anne, but she asserts she will never marry. The scene reinforces the theme of self-doubt and delayed romance.
Anne takes a Kingsport posting
Back at Green Gables, Marilla reveals that Rachel will move in with her, and Anne accepts a teaching post at Kingsport Ladies' College in New Brunswick. She faces a new city, new students, and a cold, sarcastic principal as she begins her English literature classes. The change signals a shift from rural Avonlea to a more formal academic setting.
Pringle influence and classroom clashes
Kingsport is dominated by the wealthy Pringle family who resent Anne for getting the job over one of their own. Her students, led by Jen Pringle, trouble her and aim to prove she is a poor teacher. Principal Katherine Brooke's frosty attitude tests Anne's resolve in a new environment.
Emmeline Harris and Maplehurst tensions
Anne grows close to Emmeline Harris, whose father Morgan Harris has encountered her before. After a disturbance, Morgan withdraws Emmeline's and his financial support from K.L.C., and Emmeline is confined with her grandmother at Maplehurst. Pauline Harris attends a friend's wedding anniversary, adding to the family’s upheaval.
Fundraising play and Emmeline's ascent
Anne and Miss Stacey organize a school play to raise money, with Jen Pringle in the lead. When Jen falls ill, Emmeline is allowed to perform, and the play becomes a success, winning back the Pringles' support. The event demonstrates Anne's leadership and ability to rally her students.
Avonlea Vignettes and marriage proposals
After a Boston trip with the Harris family, Anne learns Gilbert is engaged to Christine, but she is urged to write about Avonlea through Avonlea Vignettes. Morgan Harris asks her to marry him at a hospital benefit ball, but she declines. The experiences reveal crossroads between love, career, and home.
Maplehurst closure and the final kiss
Mrs. Harris dies, Pauline accepts a marriage proposal, and Morgan sells Maplehurst to move to Boston with Emmeline. Anne resigns from K.L.C. and persuades Katherine to return to Avonlea for the summer holidays. Upon returning to Green Gables, she learns Gilbert has fallen ill with scarlet fever, and after his recovery, he proposes again and Anne accepts with a kiss.
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel Characters
Explore all characters from Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.
Anne Shirley (Megan Follows)
Anne is a spirited, ambitiously creative woman who longs to be a writer. She endures rejection and social hiccups, then channels her energy into teaching at Kingsport Ladies' College. Across the story she balances loyalty to home with new opportunities, and ultimately embraces a deeper partnership with Gilbert Blythe.
Gilbert Blythe (Jonathan Crombie)
Gilbert is Anne's former intellectual rival who matures into a supportive partner. He is bright and patient, initially engaged to Christine but ultimately rekindles his bond with Anne. His illness and steadfastness propel him toward proposing again, sealing their romance.
Diana Barry (Schuyler Grant)
Diana is Anne's best friend whose engagement marks a turning point in their social circle. She tries to buoy Anne's spirits, even as her actions indirectly catalyze events that test Anne's pride and resilience. Their friendship remains a steady, supportive anchor amid changes.
Katherine Brooke (Rosemary Dunsmore)
Katherine is the cold, sarcastic principal of Kingsport Ladies' College who embodies formal authority and the era's constraints. She poses significant obstacles for Anne in the classroom, representing institutional resistance to change. Her interactions with Anne highlight the clash between progress and tradition.
Emmeline Harris (Genevieve Appleton)
Emmeline is a bright, promising student whose potential becomes a focal point for Anne's tutoring. Her presence brings Morgan Harris into closer contact with Avonlea's world, and her progress influences the family’s decisions and fortunes.
Morgan Harris (Frank Converse)
Morgan is Emmeline's widowed father, initially skeptical of the school and eventually withdrawing financial support. He embodies the conflict between wealth, duty, and care for his daughter, ultimately guiding Maplehurst toward a major life shift.
Miss Muriel Stacey (Marilyn Lightstone)
Miss Stacey is Anne's former teacher who helps open doors by offering a teaching position. Her guidance and practical outlook anchor Anne's career shift and underscore the value of mentorship.
Rachel Lynde (Patricia Hamilton)
Rachel Lynde is the perceptive neighbor whose family trials—like the illness and death of her husband—underscore the fragility of small-town life. Her experiences also test Anne's resolve as she navigates social expectations and stewardship of the farm.
Jen Pringle (Susannah Hoffmann)
Jen is a lead student in the play who embodies the school’s drama and mischief. Her illness during rehearsal creates a pivotal moment that propels Emmeline into the spotlight and advances the school’s fundraising effort.
Mrs Margaret Harris (Wendy Hiller)
Mrs. Harris is the Harris matriarch whose passing signals shifts in the family’s fortunes and the estate’s future. Her presence looms as a reminder of lineage, duty, and the costs of social standing.
Pauline Harris (Kate Lynch)
Pauline is the repressed Harris aunt whose arc intersects with Maplehurst’s fortunes. She eventually accepts a marriage proposal, marking a turning point in the family’s dynamics and the balance between wealth and affection.
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel Settings
Learn where and when Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.
Time period
Early 1900s
The narrative unfolds in the early 20th century, a period mixing rural tradition with growing educational and professional opportunities for women. Anne navigates expectations of marriage and vocation as small-town life intersects with a city-college setting. The contrasts between Avonlea’s homestead world and the urban, academic sphere frame the story's pace and choices.
Location
Avonlea, Green Gables, Kingsport (New Brunswick), Maplehurst, Boston
Avonlea is the quaint maritime town where most of the story unfolds. Green Gables remains Anne's ancestral home, symbolizing her roots. Kingsport, New Brunswick hosts the Ladies' College where Anne begins teaching and faces class tensions. Maplehurst, the Harris family mansion, represents wealth and family pressures, while Boston appears as the urban backdrop for Emmeline Harris and the broader life changes.
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel Themes
Discover the main themes in Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.
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Ambition
Anne's dream of becoming a writer drives much of the plot, even as rejection and humiliation test her resolve. She pivots from solitary writing to teaching, using education as a path to publish and share her voice. The pursuit of personal growth, recognition, and creative expression threads through her decisions and relationships.
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Love and Choice
Romantic expectations clash with personal desires as Anne faces a marriage prospect she fears would fail. Gilbert and Christine's entanglement highlight the complexity of love, responsibility, and timing. The story culminates in Anne choosing love on her terms, accepting Gilbert after recognizing true feelings.
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Class and Society
Kingsport Ladies' College illustrates class tensions between wealthy Pringle-affiliated circles and more modest backgrounds. Anne's presence challenges established hierarchies, prompting resistance from principal Katherine Brooke and reliance on allies like Miss Stacey. The arc explores how wealth, status, and social expectations shape opportunities for women.
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Education and Mentorship
Miss Stacey's mentorship and Anne's tutoring of Emmeline Harris underscore education as a transformative force. The school play becomes a vehicle to rally support and demonstrate competence beyond initial prejudice. Education serves as both a professional platform and a bridge to personal growth.
Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel Spoiler-Free Summary
Discover the spoiler-free summary of Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987). Get a concise overview without any spoilers.
In the gentle hills of Prince Edward Island, Anne Shirley has settled into a life of teaching while nurturing a quiet, fierce ambition to become a writer. Two years into her tenure at the beloved school of Avonlea, she balances lesson plans with the flutter of rejection slips that arrive for the stories she pours her heart into. The rhythm of the countryside—its orchards, the sea‑blown lanes, and the ever‑watchful eyes of her adoptive family—provides both comfort and a backdrop for her creative yearning.
Against this familiar landscape, Anne’s friendships deepen in ways both expected and surprising. She stands proudly beside Diana Barry as maid of honor, sharing in the celebrations that weave their lives together. At the same time, the long‑standing connection with Gilbert Blythe begins to take on a new, more intimate resonance, hinting at possibilities that flutter just beyond the reach of everyday conversation. The community’s supportive, slightly teasing spirit fuels her confidence, even as her own doubts linger like whispers in the wind.
A fresh chapter opens when Anne accepts a position at Kingsport Ladies’ College in New Brunswick, a place where ambition, privilege, and youthful curiosity clash in a lively academic setting. The college’s elegant halls are alive with contests, fresh friendships, and a subtle undercurrent of rivalry, especially among the well‑heeled families who dominate its social scene. Under the watchful eye of the college’s principal, Anne discovers that teaching here demands a blend of wit, perseverance, and the ability to navigate the understated politics of a world far removed from Avonlea’s simplicity.
Through it all, the film maintains a warm, nostalgic tone, inviting viewers to linger over the beauty of a modest life tinged with grand dreams. Anne’s journey is a heartfelt meditation on the pull between personal ambition and the comforting pull of home, a delicate dance of heart and mind that leaves the audience hoping she will find the place where both can truly flourish.
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