Stormy weather
Storms appear several times in the story, and they are usually described using vivid imagery to help the reader understand what it sounded, looked, and felt like to be inside a creaky old house on a stormy night. The imagery of stormy weather being featured as part of an appropriate setting for supernatural occurrences dated back at least as far as the origins of the Gothic; by including this type of imagery in his story, Wilde positioned it as both participating in and parodying the Gothic tradition. The storm imagery also keeps the reader on edge by raising the possibility that even in a story that seems to be mostly comical, something bad might still happen.
The Garden of Death
The Garden of Death is described using delicate, peaceful, and beautiful imagery to evoke a sense of what a paradise it is. The ghost is able to describe the garden in such precise terms because he has spent so long longing for it and fantasizing about it, just like how someone who is starving might be able to vividly describe the meal they would most like to eat. The imagery also reinforces the idea of the ghost as an artistic figure, and someone who is sensitive to beauty, which helps to increase sympathy for him.
Haunted house
Canterville Chase is presented using the traditional imagery of a haunted house: it is large, old, isolated, full of creaky sounds and mysterious nooks and crannies. The imagery used to describe the ancestral house prepares the reader to believe that the story of it being haunted is possibly true, and to envision the house as a setting for supernatural events.
The fake ghost
The fake ghost is initially described in precise detail, making it easy for the reader to imagine its terrifying appearance. Because it is not clear right away that this new ghost is a trick, the imagery might actually cause the reader to become fearful. By using imagery to create an effect of fear and horror, Wilde makes it clear that he understands why the tradition of the ghost story is powerful, even as he is mocking it at the same time.
