A 13-year-old orphan, Anne Shirley, is living in servitude with the cruel Hammond family in Nova Scotia. However, when Mr. Hammond dies, Anne is sent to an orphanage where she eventually receives the wonderful news that she has been adopted by a couple on Prince Edward Island (P.E.I). Upon arriving in P.E.I, Anne is met at the train station by an elderly Matthew Cuthbert who is surprised to find a girl there instead of a boy.