Do you think a story has an atmosphere? Complete the following blanks to make up your ghost story by choosing the correct options.

A Ghost Story

She opened the _________ (secret door/ spaceship's hatch/ door of the cottage/ cemetery gate/ door of the castle/ cockpit) _ (brashly/ loudly/ silently/ stupidly/ fearfully/ joyously).

Standing in front of her was a __ (terrifying/ handsome/ smelly/ anonymous/ tiny/ huge/ bossy) _ (policeman/ spy/ apparition/ witch/ prince/ wizard) with a _ (wand/ rose/ rod/ knife/ scythe/ coded message) in his/ her (its) _____ (ghoulish/ bony/ beautiful/ fair/ manly/ gloved/ magical) hand.

Now that you have shared a ghost story/anecdote as well as completed a guided story in the class, create your own Ghost story on the basis of the starters given below:

(a) Stephen knew he would never sleep. The noises, those horrid sounds, would keep him awake...

(b) Tap, tap, tap. Was it the branches of the nearby tree, or fingernails against the window?

(c) People often say, 'There's no such thing as ghosts....

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Solution

A Ghost Story

She opened the secret door silently.

Standing in front of her was a huge apparition with a rose in his/ her (its) gloved hand.

Note: This question is to be answered on the basis of your own understanding, experience and thoughts. It is strongly recommended that you prepare the solution on your own. However, one sample solution has been provided for your reference.

M G road was unusually lonely and deserted. It generally is crowded at the time. It was only half past six in the evening. Maybe the unusual downpour had forced people to leave their offices early. Darkness had descended earlier than the usual. Stephen had to stop and wait for the storm to halt. He had to break his journey that night. The weather did not seem to favour him. He spotted a motel and pulled in. He turned the car into their driveway. His room was on the top floor. Stephen knew he would never sleep; new places always unsettled him. As he tossed and turned in the bed, he heard strange noises. The noises died down after sometime, they returned again. Those horrid sounds were keeping him awake. He decided to investigate. Suddenly, he heard tap, tap on the window pane. Was it the branches of the nearby tree, or fingernails against the window? Stephen could not see anything. Maybe it was just a figment of his imagination. He tried going back to sleep; however, the incessant tapping on the window pane kept him awake. Maybe it was a ghost.

The storm seemed to abate a little. Stephen decided to go for a walk. The motel was all quiet except for a faint light at the reception. Stephen saw a frail figure bent over a book, probably trying to read something in that faint light. Stephen was happy. He had company now. He approached the reception. The old man’s back was against him. Stephen cleared his throat to get his attention. As the old man turned around to face Stephen…….Stephen screamed in horror….he had no face….there were just balls of fire in his eye sockets. Stephen ran out of the motel and sped away in his car.

And they say, ‘There is no such thing as ghosts’.

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Similar questions

The writer was overconfident about his ability to write ghost stories because ……

(a) whenever magazines wanted a ghost story, they got in touch with him

(b) he was always able to write a ghost story whenever he had to write one

(d) he knew the ghost lady would help him write a good ghost story

Based on your reading of the story above, answer the following questions by ticking the correct options.

1. The narrator earns his living by ………………………….

2. The writer was overconfident about his ability to write ghost stories because ……

whenever magazines wanted a ghost story, they got in touch with him
he was always able to write a ghost story whenever he had to write one
the readers appreciated his ghost stories
he knew the ghost lady would help him write a good ghost story

3. The sight of the ghost materialising in his room filled the narrator with ………

fear
excitement
joy
anticipation

4. The ghost wanted John to …………………………………………..

stop his wife from using the Ouija board
stop using the Ouija board himself
stop his guests from using the Ouija board
stop people from using the Ouija board

5. John wants the ghost to disappear before his wife enters the room and waves his arms at the ghost with something of the motion of a beginner when learning to swim. His movement shows his ………………………

fear
amusement
desperation
anxiety

6. When the narrator says his wife is never so pretty as when she's doing something she knows he disapproves of, his tone is …………………….

amused
ironic
angry
irritated

7. The ghost says "It's all your fault.'It' here refers to ………………………

the narrator's wife's anger
the ghost's anger
the narrator's wife leaving him
the ghost materialising in sections.

8. Gladolia wishes to leave the narrator's house as ………………….

she does not like the Ouija boards
she is afraid of the ghost
she is afraid of magic and hoodoo
she likes Ouija boards and hoodoo

While conventional Ghost stories are scary and gruesome, several modern versions are humorous. The Canterville Ghost, by Oscar Wilde, is one of the best ghost stories written in the vein of laughing satire. The story that you just read is another example in case. Humour arises out of the narrator's ability to laugh at himself, clever use of language as well as comic situations. Discuss within your groups what makes the Shady Plot humorous. Share your views during a whole class discussion.

(a) What genre of stories does Jenkins want the narrator to write? Why?

(b) Does the narrator like writing ghost stories? Support your answer with evidence from the story.

(d) Why had Helen, the ghost been helping the narrator write ghost stories? Why was she going on strike? What condition did she place for providing continued help?

(e) How does the ghost undermine the narrator's faith in his ability to write ghost stories?

(f) Why does John want the ghost to disappear before his wife appears on the scene? What impression of his wife's character do you form from his words?

(g) Why does the narrator hesitate to be a partner to Laura Hinkle during the Ouija Board Party?

(h) What message does the ghost convey to the group that had assembled in the narrator's house? What is their reaction to the message?

(i) Do you agree with the narrator calling the assembly of women "manipulators?" Give reasons.

(j) Why is John's wife angry? What does she decide to do?

(k) Why does John wish he were dead?

(l) When confronted by Lavinia about his flirtations over the Ouija Board, John insists that 'the affair was quite above-board, I assure you, my love'. Bring out the pun in John's statement.

(m) John's apprehensions about his wife's reaction to her encounter with the ghost are unfounded. Justify.

Q. Fill in the blank choosing the appropriate option:
He is so ___________ that he immediately believed my story of ghosts.

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