Many people are familiar with L.M. Montgomery's works, if not with the author herself, for 'Anne of Green Gables' is almost as classic a novel as 'Pride and Prejudice,' and the television adaptations have their own place in many hearts around the globe even if they've never read the books. While I love the Anne books, to paraphrase a character in 'Anne's House of Dreams,' in referring to her own childhood sorrows compared to the more tragic life of another character, "your own unhappiness is only that of a child with no one to love them." At first it seems an odd thing to say, for is not sorrow and misery, especially in children, an abhorrent thing no matter what? What matter degrees?, but as some theorize that there are seven circles of Hell, I have come to realize she is right. Yes, Anne has a rough start, a very unhappy and friendless early life, but she knows that, and while tragic, a mind can eventually wrap itself around that and come to peace with itself. Anne has dwelt in the first or second circle of Hell, certainly, but eventually she does find love and acceptance and Home.
I have long theorized that the Bronte sisters and Jane Austen are very familiar with what we now call narcissistic personality disorder because of certain characters in their novels, but Montgomery had hitherto stumped me, she wrote as one who might be familiar with the topic, especially in the above mentioned book there is certainly a character that seems thus afflicted, but then again, Anne and 'Emily of New Moon,' while certainly having tragic beginnings, were not themselves raised or significantly influenced by such a personality. Then I reread The Blue Castle, and I had no more doubts, though I'm beginning to wonder if all the great classical authoresses have been significantly impacted by a narcissist?
While we see a little of what it is to be raised by a narcissist in 'Jane Eyre,' it is rather a brief glimpse. The Blue Castle takes a good long look at the subject and even includes a look at the extended family. But then it moves on to the inward struggles of recovery from narcissistic abuse and even examines the mindset of the victim after she has been freed, as she wonders that anyone could actually loves her. Some people reading this book might wonder at the idea of anyone having such a wretched, drab existence (I cannot call it a life) and think it all fancy, but there are others, like me, who will identify with the main character so much that she could be a long lost sister, and rejoice and cry by turns, or perhaps, gain hope and confidence that they are not crazy or alone in their struggles and that there is hope even for them. I've wanted to write a novel like this, but happily I don't have to. Montgomery's lesser known novel is an excellent read in itself, but particularly for those who suspect or are struggling with these issues, it offers a source of hope in a world that often thinks us mad in saying that our own mothers could be so awful. I can stick with my paltry little fairytales as Montgomery has already written a veritable fairy tale upon the subject.
As to Anne's conundrum of her sad childhood, what could be worse than no one to love you? Growing up unloved but not even knowing it, for the word and concept are so twisted and tortured that the child has no concept of what it truly is or means, perhaps they believe they will be loved when they do something to deserve it (not that they ever will) or perhaps they hate themselves for being so awful their parent(s) can't love them. One can live with the truth of not being loved, but when one thinks one is loved (or will be under the right circumstances) and that is not true, that is the very definition of the seventh circle of Hell: to think one walks in Eden only to find oneself a resident of Hell, where hatred, indifference, and manipulation are called love, and Love itself is a concept beyond finding out or understanding. But Montgomery does an excellent job of showing the conditions of such a wretched life but also the hope of healing and happiness if one is willing to address them. It's an enchanting tale, and maybe it will help you or someone you know discover that they can have life and love indeed!
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