Who is Gilbert Blythe?

Gilbert Blythe is Anne’s classmate, handsome, competitive, and eventually her quiet ally. He provokes the famous slate incident by teasing her hair, then spends years trying to undo the damage. He excels at school, respects Anne’s ambition, and later gives up a local teaching position so she can remain close to Marilla.

Gilbert is not a simple love interest in the first book — he is rival and mirror. He wants the top of the class; he also shows physical courage and generosity. Montgomery sets up the later romance by proving character through action. Answers for classroom use should cite the feud’s origin and his sacrifice near the end, not film shorthand alone.