# A Good Imagination Gone Wrong explained — Anne of Green Gables

> Chapter companion for Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery.

## What happens

Spring arrives at Green Gables, and Anne revels in the beauty of Mayflowers and violets. She and Diana create a 'Haunted Wood' in a spruce grove, peopling it with ghosts and specters for romantic thrill. When Marilla sends Anne through the grove after dark to fetch a pattern, Anne's terror is real, and she learns a hard lesson about letting her imagination run wild. The chapter also marks the anniversary of Anne's arrival at Green Gables.

## Themes in this chapter

### Imagination and Creativity

Anne's vivid imagination creates the Haunted Wood, but its excess leads to real fear and a lesson in tempering fantasy with reality.

### Nature and Beauty

The chapter opens with lush descriptions of spring—Mayflowers, violets, and blossoming orchards—highlighting Anne's deep connection to the natural world.

### Growth and Education

Anne learns a hard lesson about the consequences of letting imagination run wild, marking a step in her moral and emotional growth.

## Character check-ins

### Anne Shirley

Revels in spring beauty, creates the Haunted Wood with Diana, and is forced by Marilla to confront her fears by walking through it at night.

### Marilla Cuthbert

Suffers a headache, is sarcastic about Anne's mistakes, and firmly insists Anne walk through the Haunted Wood to cure her of imagining ghosts.

### Diana Barry

Anne's companion in creating the Haunted Wood and in gathering Mayflowers; she is away when Anne visits the Barry kitchen.

### Charlie Sloane

Dares Arty Gillis to jump over a well; his grandmother is cited as having seen a ghost.

### Prissy Andrews

Receives Mayflowers from Mr. Phillips, who quotes 'sweets to the sweet.'

### Ruby Gillis

Mentioned as a source of ghost stories.

## Key lines

> I'm so sorry for people who live in lands where there are no Mayflowers

Anne pities those who have never seen Mayflowers.

_Reflects Anne's romantic appreciation of nature._

> There's such a lot of different Annes in me. I sometimes think that is why I'm such a troublesome person.

Anne feels she has many conflicting sides to her personality.

_Highlights Anne's self-awareness and internal complexity._

> I'll b-b-be cont-t-tented with c-c-commonplace places after this.

Anne, shivering from fear, promises to appreciate ordinary places.

_Shows the immediate impact of her frightening walk through the Haunted Wood._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/anne_of_green_gables_se/chapters/xx-a-good-imagination-gone-wrong
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/anne_of_green_gables_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/anne_of_green_gables_se/chapters