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

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Solution

Helen tells the narrator that she had helped him write his ghost stories. She tells the narrator of the many times when she had leaned on the narrator’s shoulder and had given him ideas, when he was thinking hard while writing a ghost story. Helen tries to tell the narrator that had she not been there for him as a muse, he would not have been able to write good ghost stories.

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Similar questions

(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.

Does the narrator like writing ghost stories? Support your answer with evidence from the 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

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?

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

(a) writing ghost stories

(b) working as a reader for a magazine

(d) working as an accountant in a lumber company

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