Anne of Green Gables is set on Prince Edward Island, Canada, in the late 19th century. Most of the story takes place on a farm in the fictional town of Avonlea, which comprises a rural area with many natural features such as hills, cliffs, woods, and bodies of water. Cavendish—a real township in Prince Edward Island—became the inspiration for Avonlea. A few other locations appear at the beginning and end of the story (in the first chapter, Matthew visits the White Sands train station, and in the final chapters, Anne considers taking a scholarship at Redmond College). However, most of the characters seem very happy in Avonlea and rarely travel outside of it.
The novel emphasizes the sense of beauty and inspiration each character derives from being in nature. Upon her arrival at Avonlea, Anne seems astonished at the beauty of her surroundings. When Matthew drives her home from the train station, they pass under a canopy of fragrant apple blossoms, and "Its beauty seemed to strike the child dumb." L.M. Montgomery uses her own childhood home as the backdrop for Anne's story, which enhances Anne's emotional response to the island's beauty and gives the novel a tender, nostalgic quality.
