James A. Harrison was the husband of Emily Harrison and the neighbour of Marilla Cuthbert, Anne Shirley and the other residents of Green Gables.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Marriage with Emily[]
Arrival to Avonlea[]
He was seen as odd by many at first. He kept house for himself and had publicly stated that he wanted no fools of women around his diggings. Feminine Avonlea took its revenge by the gruesome tales it related about his house-keeping and cooking. John Henry Carter of White Sands, his hired man, started the stories. For one thing, there was never any stated time for meals in the Harrison establishment. Mr. Harrison "got a bite" when he felt hungry, and if John Henry were around at the time, he came in for a share, but if he were not, he had to wait until Mr. Harrison's next hungry spell. John Henry mournfully averred that he would have starved to death if it wasn't that he got home on Sundays and got a good filling up, and that his mother always gave him a basket of "grub" to take back with him on Monday mornings.
Personality[]
Relationships[]
Anne Shirley[]
He was furious with Anne at first when her cow broke into his oats. But he forgave her and became a kindred spirit.
Physical appearance[]
- "Mr. Harrison could not have been considered a handsome man; he was short and fat and bald; and now, with his round face purple with rage and his prominent blue eyes almost sticking out of his head, Anne thought he was really the ugliest person she had ever seen."
- —Anne of Avonlea, Chapter 1[src]
Etymology[]
James is a male given name of Hebrew origin and means supplanter.
- James shared name with Jem Blythe and his son Jem Jr., James Grand, James Pringle, James Armstrong, Jim Anderson and his son Jims, Jim Wilcox, Captain Jim and with James, the father of Jamesina.
Behind the scenes[]
Trivia
- Mr. Harrison is absent from the film Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (1987), with his role in the subplot involving the jersey cow being taken over by Rachel Lynde.
- One of the Avonlea post office ladies named "Mrs. Harrison" tells Anne that Mrs. Sloane saw an envelope addressed to the Rollings Reliable Baking Powder Company, which is what Mr. Harrison told Anne in Anne of the Island.
- Mr. Harrison later appears in the Road to Avonlea episode "Old Friends, Old Wounds", in which he buys Green Gables after Marilla Cuthbert's death. He makes another brief appearance in the episode "Home Movie".
- He is also referenced in the film Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story (2000), when Anne discovers that the people renting the house from him have treated it so poorly it is falling apart.
Gallery[]
Anne of Green Gables Wiki has 4 images of James A. Harrison (view category). |
Appearances[]
Book appearances
- Anne of Avonlea
- Anne of the Island
- Anne of Windy Poplars (mentioned only)
- Anne's House of Dreams