# Imagination and Creativity in Emily of New Moon

> Theme guide for Emily of New Moon by L. M. Montgomery.

Emily's inner life is defined by her poetic imagination, her 'flash' of inspiration, and her compulsion to write stories and poetry, which she defends against the repression of her strict Aunt Elizabeth.

## Where it surfaces

- [The House in the Hollow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/i-the-house-in-the-hollow): Emily's rich inner world is central; she personifies the wind, sees magic in the barrens, and feels compelled to write down her experiences.
- [IV: A Family Conclave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/iv-a-family-conclave): Emily writes in her journal to transform pain into art, finding solace in describing the Murrays.
- [VI: New Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/vi-new-moon): Emily's imaginative nature is evident in her thoughts about fairies, her desire to describe the kitchen, and her inner defiance.
- [Trial by Fire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/viii-trial-by-fire): In the midst of bullying, Emily experiences a 'flash' of poetic inspiration, affirming her creative spirit as a source of inner strength and transcendence.
- [A Special Providence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/ix-a-special-providence): Emily's intense response to poetry and her need to write demonstrate the power of imagination and creativity as a vital outlet for her emotions.
- [X: Growing Pains](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/x-growing-pains): Emily composes a poem about buttercups, finding solace and pride in her creative expression.
- [XI: Ilse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xi-ilse): Emily's vivid imagination amplifies her terror in the spare-room, and she later shares her poetry with Ilse, affirming her identity as a poetess.
- [XIII: Daughter of Eve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xiii-daughter-of-eve): Emily's vivid imagination leads her to compose a dramatic death scene and a farewell letter, transforming her fear into a creative act.
- [Fancy Fed](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xiv-fancy-fed): Cousin Jimmy's poetry recitations and Teddy's drawings by firelight, along with Emily's own poetic descriptions, highlight the creative spirit that flourishes in the simple, magical evenings.
- [Check for Miss Brownell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xvi-check-for-miss-brownell): Emily's poetry writing and her subsequent composition of an epic poem highlight the power of imagination as a refuge from humiliation and punishment.
- [Living Epistles](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xvii-living-epistles): Emily's vivid descriptions, her invented word 'smee', and her poetic sensibilities highlight her creative nature.
- [Father Cassidy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xviii-father-cassidy): Emily's visit to Father Cassidy is framed by her creative work on her poem, and she discusses inventing a new language with Ilse, showcasing her imaginative spirit.
- [Friends Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xix-friends-again): Emily's dramatic delight in the secret understanding and her feeling of living in an epic highlight her imaginative nature.
- [By Aerial Post](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xx-by-aerial-post): Emily plans to write a story and a novel, and mentally furnishes the Disappointed House with flower-themed rooms, showing her vivid imagination.
- [Wyther Grange](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xxii-wyther-grange): Emily and her friends immerse themselves in adapting and performing 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in Lofty John's bush, showcasing their creativity and love for storytelling.
- [XXIII: Deals with Ghosts](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xxiii-deals-with-ghosts): Emily's vivid imagination transforms ordinary sounds into ghostly terrors, highlighting her creative and sensitive nature.
- [A Different Kind of Happiness](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xxiv-a-different-kind-of-happiness): Emily composes poetry, writes in her Jimmy-book, and finds inspiration in the natural beauty of the bay shore.
- [On the Bay Shore](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xxvi-on-the-bay-shore): Emily recites her poem and discusses her ambitions to be a poetess or novelist; Dean encourages her writing but warns of its burdens.
- [The Vow of Emily](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xxvii-the-vow-of-emily): Emily and Dean Priest share a deep appreciation for imagination, poetry, and storytelling, finding joy in 'fairyland' and creative expression.
- [A Weaver of Dreams](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xxviii-a-weaver-of-dreams): Emily's poetic aspirations and her process of writing, submitting, and coping with rejection highlight the creative drive and the pain of artistic disappointment.
- [XXXI: Emily’s Great Moment](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/chapters/xxxi-emily-s-great-moment): Emily's writing is validated by Mr. Carpenter, and she begins a diary to capture her creative spirit.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/themes/imagination_and_creativity
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/emily_of_new_moon_se/themes