When the Anne of Green Gables adaptation debuted on CBC mack in March 2017, it was met with a lot of criticism from nostalgics who described it as to "nitty gritty" and "dark" for a beloved book written at the begging of the 20th Century. (I disagree but that's a story for another day)
At first first glance I know it probably looks like Anne wears her heart on her sleeve, but we as the audience know that’s now true. To say that about her would be to just mix talkative and enthusiastic with openness and trusting. Until 3x02, we’ve never seen her really talk about her past before Green Gables to anyone. She’s implied things here and there, but never really opened up to anyone about all the things she suffered through. She tries always be positive, and look on the bright side of things, but when the low moments come, they hit hard. What we saw this week(1x06), with her opening up to the idea of love, only for them to get shattered, that's the perfect example
Also, she’s never really had a positive experience with romantic love. She knows she has a loving family, but that’s not the same as having someone be in love with her, someone who is in love with you. As far as we have seen, she's lived with awful families who’ve had parents that have never really loved each other, she’s never been able to see first hand what real love is like. Instead she wraps herself in these romantic stores like Pride and Prejudice, and other more romantic stories that are so not reality. So you can see why she really is so insecure about the idea that she can be loved romantically. She had no really understanding of what love is really like, she just thinks she does. In season 2, Cole pointed out that Gilbert had a crush on Anne, and so did Bash, to anyone on the outside looking in, it's completely obvious, but not to Anne. She doesn't think he likes her like that because she's not sure what anyone really like her would look like.
When she had her big fight with Diana, we saw all those insecurities she has bubble up to the surface. She's afraid of not being good enough, not being worthy of someone's love and attention. And how could she now be? She's been told all her life that's she's trash, nobody likes her, and that she means nothing. Especially with the abuse she suffered at the hands of the orphanage and Mrs Thompson (i think that's the women's name?). The moment she got the slightest idea that her friend might leave her behind for a better life, she became defensive, started to become angry and accusatory at her friend in order to protect her own feelings.
Anne can also be a very caring and selfish person as well. She'll try and do the best for people, but not really consider her actions, and despite her intentions, sometimes she'll cause more damage than good. But isn't that what it's like at sixteen, trying to learn how to be a more caring person? And really the only way you can do that is through making the mistakes Anne has.
This is why I love this adaption of the Anne more than any other. Not of the whole show, but of this one single cheater (not to say I don't life the other characters, but this post is dedicated to Anne. She's a warm person, but also extremely insecure, she want the best for people, but she'll go about it sometimes in selfish ways, she cares about people but she'll sometime never consider their feelings. She dreams about love and romance but doesn't see herself worthy of love. I just love to think the Anne with an E has given her so much depth than any other tv show or movie adaption has given (not that I don't love the 80s version, its amazing). It just goes to show how the writer can take a deep look at what lies beyond the surface of any character, not matter the time they were born in.
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