Is Anne with an E woke?
Anne with an E (2017)
TV Show
Released: January 1, 2017
Wokeness Score
8/10
Strongly Ideological
Woke messaging is very prominent and often feels forced or shoehorned in. Characters and plot are primarily shaped to serve the ideology. Many viewers feel the agenda overshadows the entertainment.
Key Summary Points
- Amplifies feminism and gender roles with explicit 'Progressive Mothers' dialogue and anachronistic empowerment speeches.
- Introduces racial diversity and racism plotlines absent or minimal in the original 1908 novel.
- Explores homophobia, sexuality, and Indigenous issues to deliver progressive social commentary in a historical setting.
Wokeness Analysis
Anne with an E (2017) significantly deviates from L.M. Montgomery's original Anne of Green Gables by amplifying progressive social and political themes to serve modern ideological purposes. The series, created by Moira Walley-Beckett, explicitly incorporates storylines on feminism, racism, gender inequality, homophobia, bullying, trauma, class discrimination, and Indigenous issues, often expanding or inventing elements not central to the source material. Conservative critiques highlight forced insertions like the 'Progressive Mothers Club' spouting explicit feminist rhetoric, anachronistic diversity such as a Black character in 1890s Prince Edward Island, and explorations of sexuality and queer themes that feel shoehorned into the period setting. Reviews from sources like The American Conservative describe it as a 'primer on Millennial wokeness,' with plot lines prioritizing 21st-century social justice over the book's focus on imagination, community, and personal growth. The adaptation emphasizes Anne's trauma and outsider status to critique conformity and prejudice, making characters and conflicts vehicles for commentary on identity and acceptance. While entertaining for some, the messaging frequently dominates, leading viewers to feel lectured rather than immersed in the story. This heavy ideological overlay aligns with heavily message-driven adaptations that prioritize contemporary relevance over faithful escapism.
Plot
Anne with an E follows the story of imaginative orphan Anne Shirley, who is mistakenly sent to live with elderly siblings Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert on their Prince Edward Island farm in the late 1890s. The series depicts Anne's adjustment to her new life, her vivid imagination, friendships, and challenges in the conservative town of Avonlea, while expanding on themes of trauma from her abusive past, social prejudices, and personal growth. It ran for three seasons from 2017 to 2019.