--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He never really existed at all, except in…" description: "\"“He never really existed at all, except in my imagination, she thought wearily. I loved something that I made up...I made a pretty suit of clothes and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/margaret-mitchell-692_love_he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in_1933392.jpg" --- # He never really existed at all, except in my imagination… ![“He never really existed at all, except in my imagination, she thought wearily. I loved something that I made up...I made a pretty suit of clothes and fell in love with it. And when Ashley came riding along, so handsome, so different, I put that suit on him and made him wear it whether it fitted…” quote by Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/margaret-mitchell-692_love_he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in_1933392.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/margaret-mitchell-692_love_he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in_1933392.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/margaret-mitchell-692_love_he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in_1933392.jpg) > ““He never really existed at all, except in my imagination, she thought wearily. I loved something that I made up...I made a pretty suit of clothes and fell in love with it. And when Ashley came riding along, so handsome, so different, I put that suit on him and made him wear it whether it fitted him or not. And I wouldn't see what he really was. I kept on loving the pretty clothes-and not him at all.”” [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator admits loving an imagined ideal rather than the real person, projecting fantasies onto them. **In simple terms:** Loving a fantasy instead of reality. Key Takeaway Beware of idealizing others. Themes illusion love projection Mood reflective melancholic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - self‑deception - creative imagination Key Concepts psychology fiction Questions to Reflect On - What fantasies do you project onto others? - How can you see people as they truly are? A Different Perspective Reality may not match imagined perfection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [I loved something I made up, something that's just as dead as Melly is. I made a pretty suit of clothes and fell in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-loved-something-i-made-up-something-that-s-just-as-dead-as-melly-is/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“And when Ashley came riding along, so handsome, so different, I put that suit on him and made him wear it whether it fitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-when-ashley-came-riding-along-so-handsome-so-different-i-put-that/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“At least I was capable of knowing there was some other kind of life possible, even if I was having trouble achieving it. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damien-echols/at-least-i-was-capable-of-knowing-there-was-some-other-kind-of-life/) [Damien Echols](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damien-echols/) > [“Theta loved pretty things more than air or food. She had a deep fondness for full red roses, pink shells, and starry sunsets.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-goldfinch/theta-loved-pretty-things-more-than-air-or-food-she-had-a-deep/) Lena Goldfinch > [ I loved Thirteen and I loved Pretty Persuasion, and was always just so blown away by her \[Rachel Evan Wood\]. It was nice, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-page/i-loved-thirteen-and-i-loved-pretty-persuasion-and-was-always-just-so/) [Ellen Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-page/) > [The general effect of viewing 'Jumanji' is thrilling. I was able to see on film a thing that at one point had only existed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-van-allsburg/the-general-effect-of-viewing-jumanji-is-thrilling-i-was-able-to-see/) [Chris Van Allsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-van-allsburg/) > [ “\[L\]et any one transport himself to the time when living, present miracles were believed in; … when they lived only in the rapturous prospect… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-feuerbach/l-et-any-one-transport-himself-to-the-time-when-living-present/) [Ludwig Feuerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-feuerbach/) > [For me, Mexploitation seemed like something that should have existed, but didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rodriguez/for-me-mexploitation-seemed-like-something-that-should-have-existed/) [Robert Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rodriguez/) > [Karma has always existed, as have you, I, and all things in this wonderful universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-has-always-existed-as-have-you-i-and-all-things-in-this/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“If Erik existed and lived life in despair, We wish him to know we are here and we care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/if-erik-existed-and-lived-life-in-despair-we-wish-him-to-know-we-are/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-gonzalez-torres/above-all-else-it-is-about-leaving-a-mark-that-i-existed-i-was-here-i/) Felix Gonzalez-Torres > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“Perfect happiness existed, but perhaps only in small increments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elin-hilderbrand/perfect-happiness-existed-but-perhaps-only-in-small-increments/) [Elin Hilderbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elin-hilderbrand/) > [“The air felt different in my lungs. The world no longer looked the same. You change and then you change again. You become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/the-air-felt-different-in-my-lungs-the-world-no-longer-looked-the/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“For a long while I have lived with the notion that I was the most normal being that ever existed. This notion gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/for-a-long-while-i-have-lived-with-the-notion-that-i-was-the-most/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) ## More by Margaret Mitchell > [I won't think of it now. I can't stand it now. I'll think of it later.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-won-t-think-of-it-now-i-can-t-stand-it-now-i-ll-think-of-it-later/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“I don't want any money for it," he said. "It's a gift." Scarlett's mouth dropped open. The line was so closely, so carefully drawn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-don-t-want-any-money-for-it-he-said-it-s-a-gift-scarlett-s-mouth/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Until you lose your reputation, you never realize what a burden it was or what freedom really is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/until-you-lose-your-reputation-you-never-realize-what-a-burden-it-was/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [And apologies, once postponed, become harder and harder to make, and finally impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-apologies-once-postponed-become-harder-and-harder-to-make-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“There was a glow of grim pride in her usually gentle face, approbation and a fierce joy in her smile that equaled the fiery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/there-was-a-glow-of-grim-pride-in-her-usually-gentle-face-approbation/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [Her lips on his could tell him better than all her stumbling words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/her-lips-on-his-could-tell-him-better-than-all-her-stumbling-words/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [The way to get a man interested and to hold his interest was to talk about himself, and then gradually lead the conversation around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-way-to-get-a-man-interested-and-to-hold-his-interest-was-to-talk/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [She was as forthright and simple as the winds that blew over Tara and the yellow river that wound around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-was-as-forthright-and-simple-as-the-winds-that-blew-over-tara-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“The very mystery of him excited her curiosity like a door that had neither lock nor key.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-very-mystery-of-him-excited-her-curiosity-like-a-door-that-had/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“He had never once crossed the borders of friendliness with her and, when she thought of this, fresh anger rose, the anger of hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/he-had-never-once-crossed-the-borders-of-friendliness-with-her-and/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“The husband is always the last to find out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/the-husband-is-always-the-last-to-find-out/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [People must do what they must do. We all don't think alike or act alike and it's wrong to-to judge others by ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/people-must-do-what-they-must-do-we-all-don-t-think-alike-or-act/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [All you have done is to be different from other women and you have made a little success of it. This is unforgivable sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/all-you-have-done-is-to-be-different-from-other-women-and-you-have/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“She felt puzzled and ashamed, as always when people attributed to her emotions and motives they possessed and thought she shared.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/she-felt-puzzled-and-ashamed-as-always-when-people-attributed-to-her/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) > [“I do not want to marry you or anyone else. I am not a marrying man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/i-do-not-want-to-marry-you-or-anyone-else-i-am-not-a-marrying-man/) [Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) [Explore all 391 Margaret Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/) ## More Existed quotes > [“For a long while I have lived with the notion that I was the most normal being that ever existed. This notion gave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-cioran/for-a-long-while-i-have-lived-with-the-notion-that-i-was-the-most/) [Emil Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-cioran/) > [“The air felt different in my lungs. The world no longer looked the same. You change and then you change again. You become a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/the-air-felt-different-in-my-lungs-the-world-no-longer-looked-the/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Perfect happiness existed, but perhaps only in small increments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elin-hilderbrand/perfect-happiness-existed-but-perhaps-only-in-small-increments/) [Elin Hilderbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elin-hilderbrand/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-gonzalez-torres/above-all-else-it-is-about-leaving-a-mark-that-i-existed-i-was-here-i/) Felix Gonzalez-Torres > [“If Erik existed and lived life in despair, We wish him to know we are here and we care.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-a-bucchianeri/if-erik-existed-and-lived-life-in-despair-we-wish-him-to-know-we-are/) [E.A. Bucchianeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-a-bucchianeri/) > [Karma has always existed, as have you, I, and all things in this wonderful universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/karma-has-always-existed-as-have-you-i-and-all-things-in-this/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [For me, Mexploitation seemed like something that should have existed, but didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-rodriguez/for-me-mexploitation-seemed-like-something-that-should-have-existed/) [Robert Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-rodriguez/) > [“Sometimes, when I was looking out for my own happiness, I almost forgot you existed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gibbons/sometimes-when-i-was-looking-out-for-my-own-happiness-i-almost-forgot/) [Alan Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-gibbons/) > [I was progressive before the term progressive actually existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-adams/i-was-progressive-before-the-term-progressive-actually-existed/) [Eric Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-adams/) > [“(We) consist of everything the world consists of, each of us, and just as our body contains the genealogical table of evolution as far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/we-consist-of-everything-the-world-consists-of-each-of-us-and-just-as/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“The only thing she could be certain of was that she existed. All else was suspect, even her own thoughts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paolini/the-only-thing-she-could-be-certain-of-was-that-she-existed-all-else/) [Christopher Paolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paolini/) > [We've decided what we are. That's the dream. When the dream fades, it's not that we don't exist. How could we not exist since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-ve-decided-what-we-are-that-s-the-dream-when-the-dream-fades-it-s/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [If I find out that you stopped caring for no reason.. I am going to stop believing you ever existed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-find-out-that-you-stopped-caring-for-no-reason-i-am-going-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [At a lot of companies founded on principles, the notion of making money is almost antithetical to the ethos of the place. From the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/at-a-lot-of-companies-founded-on-principles-the-notion-of-making/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) Browse all 439 Existed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He never really existed at all, except in my imagination, she thought wearily. I loved something that I made up...I made a pretty suit of clothes and fell in love with it. And when Ashley came riding along, so handsome, so different, I put that suit on him and made him wear it whether it fitted him or not. And I wouldn't see what he really was. I kept on loving the pretty clothes-and not him at all.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Margaret Mitchell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in-my-imagination-she-thought/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Existed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in-my-imagination-she-thought/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/margaret-mitchell-692_love_he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in_1933392.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/margaret-mitchell-692_love_he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in_1933392.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/598/margaret-mitchell-692_love_he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in_1933392.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He never really existed at all, except in my imagination, she thought wearily. I loved something that I made…” — Margaret Mitchell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Margaret Mitchell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He never really existed at all,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in-my-imagination-she-thought/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/he-never-really-existed-at-all-except-in-my-imagination-she-thought/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```