The family, the schooland community in a rural area. From the Montgomery's novel to the Mill's picture book

Abstract

This paper explores the intertextuality between The Rag Coat (1991) and Anne of the Green Gables (1908). Both literary works are contextualised in the North American rural community, and their main characters are girls in their early adolescence who have tenacious personality traits. The rural communities where these works are set, far from being an intimidating motif, make these protagonists show their determination to overcome what might be expected from them in these settings. Both sociohistorical contexts create rural micro-bubbles that, as it is studied, are composed by the family, the school, or the neighbourhood. Furthermore, some other common themes are observed in both works such as children work, or nature’s personification. It does not seem to be coincidence that Mills illustrated one of the editions of Anne of the Green Gables in 1989. However, the studies that have put both works in connection are practically non-existent. Thus, this paper tries to approach both authors and the possible autobiographical features in their works (Berg-Ehlers, 2018). Later, it inquires into some coincidences between both female protagonists as well as into the importance that family, neighbours, school and nature acquire in the rural contexts where they are set.

Key words: daily life, family education, picture book, rural life, school, youth literature