The Success of The Woman in Black as a Ghost Story

The Success of The Woman in Black as a Ghost Story

Susan Hill believes that the ghost depends on 'atmosphere' and 'a

sense of place'. However, a believable storyline and characters does

help bring out the atmosphere and place. 'The Woman in Black' is about

a man, Arthur Kipps. He is the narrator throughout the novel. Arthur

Kipps tells his most haunting revelation that had happened to him, and

how by writing his story as a novel, it was hoping to help exorcise

the ghost that still haunts him. He tells the story of when he was a

junior solicitor and, how he was ordered by his firm's partner to

travel up from London to attend a funeral and then sort out the papers

of the dead woman. While in Crythin Gifford he glimpses a young woman

with a wasted face, dressed all in black. He sees her at the back of

the church during Mrs Drablow's funeral, and again later in the

graveyard to one side of Eel Marsh House. He is the only one that

appears to see her. However, soon the lady in black slowly reveals

herself to him, as is her purpose.

The first passage is extracted from the chapter 'Across the Causeway'.

The first sighting that Arthur Kipps has with the woman in black is in

the churchyard after Mrs Drablow's funeral. Susan Hill picks the right

place to have Arthur Kipps' first sighting of the woman in black. She

has the setting in a churchyard. When the reader comes across

'churchyard' you get the image of fear and decay. Using this Susan

Hill goes into describing the churchyard in detail 'Ahead, where the

wall ended in a heap of dust and rubble, lay the grey water of the

estuary'. Susan Hill makes the image very precise. She also uses

distinct contrast, 'across the tall grasses, and wild flowers of

white and ...

... middle of paper ...

...'

the question Arthur is asking himself 'why is it rocking?' He is

asking himself as well as the reader. 'someone has just got out of

it' However Arthur is the only one in the house. There is a sense of

unease as the windows are all closed so no one can get out. Susan Hill

makes the readers ask themselves questions why? Who could it be? She

keeps the reader in suspense.

Susan Hill Believes that a good ghost story depends on the

'atmosphere' and 'a sense of place'. There are many points which a

good ghost story should have unfamiliarity, a mystery, description and

much more. However I personally believe that without a believable

characters and storyline there is no basis of having atmosphere or a

sense of place. So overall, yes a ghost story does depend on

'atmosphere' and 'a sense of place' but it must contain a believable

story line with characters.