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Anne shirley Quote by Melina Marchetta

“There’s a moment in [Anne of Green Gables] where Anne Shirley (great character) […] is in the same classroom as Gilbert Blythe and she hit’s him over the head with a slate, which is their kind of writing tool, and I always say that moment for me was just, I was just absolutely mesmerised. I…” quote by Melina Marchetta
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““There’s a moment in [Anne of Green Gables] where Anne Shirley (great character) […] is in the same classroom as Gilbert Blythe and she hit’s him over the head with a slate, which is their kind of writing tool, and I always say that moment for me was just, I was just absolutely mesmerised. I thought it was so romantic, though she hated his guts. I would always say that in every one of my novels there is a moment where my characters metaphorically hit their potential love interests over the head with a slate. It could be that winning an argument or getting the upper hand, an example in say The Piper’s Son could be here’s Tom thinking it will be easy, text messaging Tara saying ‘How’s it going, babe’ and her response, that for me is the hitting someone over the head with a slate. It happens in Saving Francesca when she kind of meets Will and Will’s such a bastard to her. So they’re moments I kind of adopted and I loved that particular one, so I would say [L.M. Montgomery] was a major influence.””

Melina Marchetta

About This Quote

Source Novel: L.M. Montgomery Influence, 2021

The author likens a memorable literary moment to a symbolic act of striking a love interest’s potential, showing how conflict can spark romance.

In simple terms: Romantic conflict is likened to hitting a slate.

Key Takeaway

Use conflict to reveal character chemistry.

Themes

romance conflict character development literary influence symbolism

Mood

playful reflective

Type

literary inspirational

When to use this quote

  • Writing workshops
  • creative brainstorming
  • novel drafting
  • editing sessions

Key Concepts

Narrative technique metaphor character dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can tension be shown without violence?
  • What alternatives convey similar excitement?
A Different Perspective

Not all readers appreciate aggressive metaphors in romance.

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