Basics of Ghost Stories
INTRODUCTION
The ghost story writer has to attract the reader's attention straight
away. The way story begins is important and often links with the rest
of the narrative. The opening of a short story must try to engage the
reader quickly. I think all ghost stories should always have a lot of
suspense in it, to create anticipation and excitement. Some symbolic
object/place for example a knife, a key must play a major part in the
narrative. The story should also have lots of detail to get the
feeling as if the reader is there to create different types of
atmospheres, such as horror, terror, and excitement. They should also
have a mysterious end, to make the reader go away thinking about it.
Most people are interested in ghost stories because of the thrill and
horror that is in it. Ghost story's challenges us to see how much of
the paranormal we can take onboard and because it is a story they can
always back away from it if it gets too unnerving.
I have read "Wish Master", in which a demon awakes from an ancient pot
that is destroyed in a robbery in a museum. Then the demon goes around
asking people for their wishes and he always does something opposite
to fulfil the wish.
Ghost stories always seem to be set in lonely or isolated places. The
language writers use to describe settings in ghost stories are usually
quite unpredictable because there is a lot of descriptive use of
imagery to paint a specific kind of picture for the reader. Ghost
stories gained prominence in the Victorian period and a lot of classic
stories were written during this period. They were written to
entertain and feed the imagination of the populace who were intrigued
by stories of the supernatural.
Atmosphere is mood the writer is trying to create in a story. It is
important because it builds a good impression on the reader. It is
created through the use of language tools: such as similes, metaphors
and onomatopoeia. The atmosphere of the story is developed right from
the beginning. It largely depends on the writers purpose/intentions.
So you do expect different kind of atmosphere to be created in both of
these stories because in the "The Signalman" Charles Dickens is trying
to scare the reader and in "The Deadfall" Ted Hughes is trying to get
a message across. Atmosphere is important in building tension in the
story, which I believe is vital for a ghost story.
In 'The Signalman' by Charles Dickens the narrator meets a lonely
signalman. At first he seems to be scared of him.
... that the story is representative of how all ghosts behave. Society prefers to consider ghosts as “protectors” or “helpers” rather than as “frighteners” or “killers.”
In short stories, atmosphere is a dominant feeling that goes throughout or partially through a literary work conveyed by an author’s use of literary devices. Some of these literary devices could be language, imagery, physical setting, diction, irony, themes and more. In Arthur C. Clarke’s “The Star” and Ursula Le Guin’s “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas,” the reader is given a glimpse into the world of discovery and the atmosphere around it as people go through revelations in their lives. Through the authors use of irony, narration, and themes, it becomes clear to the reader the atmosphere of the stories.
An interesting aspect of the story is that it incorporates an actual location and history into a ghost story: it is intriguing because the mysterious events occur in an accessible place that people can go and visit.
Close to where Mary lived there was a man named Vultair was experimenting putting electricity through Frogs to see if they could come back to life. With that going on close to her as well as the fear of a revolution and the pressure on her to think of a ghost story it is not surprising she thought of a horror story that would still be popular in the 21st Century.
In William Shakespeare's Hamlet, the ghost of Hamlet’s father is intended to be seen as a real ghost. Around 1600, when the play Hamlet was written, many people believed in mystical creatures like witches, monsters, and most importantly: ghosts. With so many people believing in these characters, it makes sense that Shakespeare portrays the ghost of Hamlet’s father as a real figure. Many examples support this, such as when the guards in Act I scene i see the ghost, which proves it’s not just in Hamlet’s imagination. But some people can not see the ghost, such as Hamlet’s mother in Act III scene iiiii. Hamlet sees the ghost but she can not. This could be used as evidence to say the ghost is not real though. Shakespeare shows us though this information, the high complications oh having ghosts in a story.
From the perspective of a ghost story, the narrator makes references to some “creepy” ideas early in the story, noting her first impression of the house is, “it is haunted” (Gilman 746). Beyond the aesthetics of the house, we see a level of fear overcoming the narrator in: “there is something strange about this house-I can feel it” (Gilman). What about the house makes it appear and feel haunted? Not the aesthetics of the home, but what’s inside…..inside the wallpaper. Almost immediately we see the issues...
The telling of a ghost story entails more than the text itself. Lighting, environment, tone of voice, and many other factors affect how well a ghost story is told. As one can see by reading the following story, simply reading a ghost story on paper does not have the same effect as hearing it performed by the teller in a fitting atmosphere. The following story was told one night in a dark, shadowy room filled with five or six college guys. The teller used long pauses, emphasis on certain words, and body gestures to make the story all the more believable and chilling.
The particular story I collected takes place in Philadelphia, where ghost stories are plentiful. Philadelphia is an old city with a rich cultural heritage, and our founding fathers made history in the place that was once our nation’s capital (Eidmann). Many believe that their spirits and spirits of those from colonial times still lurk around. It is easy to feel like spirits are around when in a place where many people have lived and died before, and in a place that is filled with old buildings and landmarks. All of these factors make this city a perfect place for a ghost story.
The Haunting of Hill House is a gothic horror novel written by Shirley Jackson. Supernatural occurrences take place within the house revolving around Eleanor. Eleanor is a thirty-two-year-old woman who never once has felt the sense of inclusion. Eleanor seems to never recall the feeling of delight in her adult years due to the fact that she was a caretaker for her now deceased Mother; who took away most of her freedom by being incredibly restrictive. Dr. Montague, a doctor that specializes in analysis of the supernatural rents Hill House, a supposedly haunted house. During the renting period, Dr. Montague begins an experiment inviting individuals who have had involvement in abnormal events
This story, although somewhat unique in its exact plot, contains many elements that make it a typical and traditional ghost story. These elements suggest common fears in today’s society of people in general, and children specifically.
The Nelly Butler hauntings is referred to as the first recorded ghost story in American history (LiBrizzi 5), and possibly the most exciting hauntings to date as there are still many unsolved mysteries. The apparition appeared on more than 30 separate occasions to over 100 witnesses in Sullivan, Maine, just over fifteen years after the American Revolution (5-6). Although the Nelly Butler apparition is one of the most convincing ghosts of all time, it was subject to suspicions of fraud. These claims turn out to be groundless as the evidence reveals the ghost to be genuine.
The atmosphere of each novel plays a significant role in setting the scene for the ensuing horror to evolve. The atmosphere in each novel is different; the horror in each novel is different
In any good horror story line you have to have certain aspects or traits to be categorized as a good horror story. What do the readers look for in a horror story you may ask. Well the primary ingredients for making a fearsome, shuddery, monstrous story are foreshadowing, fear, suspense, mystery/surprise and imagination of course. Without every single one of these elements, the reader would not be involved and wouldn 't even continue to finish reading the full story. Nathaniel Hawthorne, Phillip K. Dick and Edgar Allen Poe are only some of the great representations of who have constructed frightening yet delightful stories for us to read.
I think this way; the sentences make a bigger impact. Taking all of this into account, I believe that the atmosphere for the story has been well produced through both the description of the setting, and the usage of language.
The Victorian era was a main development stage for the ghost story genre and it was becoming increasingly popular among readers.