The major theme of "Anne with an E" is self-expression and questioning social norms. The main protagonist, Anne Shirley Cuthbert, is labeled as unfortunate and indifferent. She sticks out from the rest of the characters with her flaming red hair, and her expressive personality. The community around her has nothing but awful words to say to her. Often telling her she is nothing but an ugly orphan. Due to her sharp difference and inability to stick to social norms Anne is often in trouble, however, Anne is often the color and livelihood that the community needed, she is free spirited and a brilliant thinker. Anne often gets in trouble for things she cannot control. It points out the irony of the community surrounding her, such as the progressive mother sewing circle shunning Marilla and Anne because Anne has witnessed filthy deeds, such as her past caretaker petting her husband’s “pet mouse”. It is Matthew that changes this perspective, putting the blame on Anne's past caretakers because Anne is a young girl and not her fault for the knowledge she gained. In fact we should support Anne due to the horrendous things she had to go through.
Another example of irony would be the mother's club only wanting their daughter's to be teacher's and looking down on spinsters. The Progress Mothers Sewing Circle a group formed of the mother's of girls within the school, they encourage women's education and improving the curriculum. However, as a group of progressive women they still have a long way to go. They criticizes Anne, saying that she has to be educated because she is unlikely to be unmarried. Unconsciously they still place a woman’s worth on taking care of children and their ability to find a husband. Women had to conform to a higher standard compared to their male counterpart. Society believes that a women's menstrual cycle is dirty and should not be talked about, but Anne mentions how a women's cycle is beautiful because it is thanks to this cycle that we can create life. A women's cycle is biological and necessary for live on earth. Yet, it is something that we shun away even in our current day. Why should women shun away from something that occurs to half the population? Women's limited power is displayed on the final episode of Season 1. We see the bank discriminate against Marilla. As they refuse to negotiate with her and threaten to take back the loan because Matthew is ill. However, Marilla and Anne were more than capable of taking care of the land and even raise the money to pay back the bank. This show highlights how woman could and have always been able to do what a man could. It is only society that holds women back as in their time the greatest thing a women could be was a mother or a teacher. In our time it is the same difference that keeps us separated from the men, why stay quiet about women's menstrual cycles, or how many men often times look down on their women co-workers, or the societal pressure of being a mother to "keep up the birth rate."
"Anne with an E" displays many examples of love. It shows the love of parental figures to their child, such as Matthew and Marilla love for Anne. The love between best friends as we see with Anne and Diana. We even see a love that is not recognized in the 1800's society through Josephine Barry. Josephine Barry is a women of great wealth and prestige. She is also implied to be a part of the LGBTQ community. She mentions her dear love, Gertrude. Everyone believes that Gertrude and Josephine were simply best friends, however Josephine often describes her with a romantic tone. She even describes Gertrude as “her kindred spirit” and her "Dear Gertrude". Although Josephine never married a man, she was married in her own way and lived a wonderful life. Josephine is another example on how society had caused her to hide or refuse to accept her way of life. Her own family recognizes Gertrude as Josephine’s best friend rather than life partner. The show displays love as the greatest treasure one could have. Anne herself says in the season finale, “When a tender affection has been storing itself in us through many of our years, the idea that we could accept any exchange for it seems to be a cheapening of our lives, and we can set a watch over our affections and our constancy as we can over other treasures, We’re rich aren’t we Matthew?” This quote at the end of the serious adds the meaning on how much Anne’s life has changed. She has developed a community with many around her, these people being her treasure. She has found her treasure within Diana, Marilla and Matthew.