(a) What genre of stories does Jenkins want the narrator to write? Why?
Answer
Jenkins wanted the narrator to write fictions about ghosts i.e. ghost stories. He wanted supernatural theme which gave horror to the public as ghosts were live propositions.
(b) Does the narrator like writing ghost stories? Support your answer with evidence from the story.
Answer
No, the writer was not fond of writing ghost stories at all. He himself says 'I didn't specialize in ghost stories.' Whenever he sat down to write a ghost story, he hadn't the shade of an idea. He had chased the inspiration in vain for months when he started writing ghost fiction for the first time. This all shows that the narrator was, though natural, an accidental ghost fiction writer.
(c) What makes Helen, the ghost, and her other co-ghosts organize The Writer's Inspiration Bureau?
Answer
Helen and other co-ghosts organised The Writer’s Insipiration Bureau because they felt there were many writers without ideas, however, with a vulnerable mind who were looking for an inspiration to write ghost stories. The bureau would assign a ghost to such a writer so that he/she could write good ghost stories.
(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?
Answer
Helen had helped the narrator because he was keen to write ghost stories but had no ideas and his mind was impressionable. But now the ghosts were fed up of being called too often from their beds. They had given up haunting and had taken up answering questions on the Ouija board but people had started pestering them too of- ten. Helen promised to help the narrator if he would get his friends and acquaintances to stop using the Ouija board.
(e) How does the ghost undermine the narrator's faith in his ability to write ghost stories?
Answer
The narrator is sure that ghost stories specialize in him. He never refuses Jenkins whenever he demands a ghost story for his magazine. He had always been able to dig up one for him. So e has started feeling overconfident about his ability to write on the supernatural everytime. But the lady ghost tells him that he always call her to help him in writing a ghost story. Many a time she has leaned on his shoulder to give him ideas. Now, he will not get more ideas or plots of ghost stories for him. In this way, th lady ghost undermines the narrator's 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?
Answer
Lavinia, John’s wife, is a jealous lady. John does not want Helen to be seen by his wife for fear of complications in his married life. His wife is over sensitive and the sight of a ghost in her house will affect her badly. Lavinia is basically a lady, who is a spendthrift and socialite, spending her time in parties and friends.
(g) Why does the narrator hesitate to be a partner to Laura Hinkle during the Ouija Board Party?
Answer
Helen, the ghost, had asked the narrator to influence his friends to stop using the Ouija board. It was only on this condition that Helen promised to help the narrator to write ghost stories. If Helen sees him now himself trying to communicate ghosts through Ouija board, he fears how and what she would do to him. That is why the narrator was reluctant 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?
Answer
Helen called John a traitor as he bluffs her. He had promised Helen that he would convince his friends to stop contacting ghosts; rather here he himself was doing the same. She is annoyed and filled with anguish and so goes to everyone’s Ouija board one by one and tells that Mr. Hallock is a traitor. After this revelation everybody suspected John of cheating upon his wife, later John clarified to his wife and she even understood.
(i) Do you agree with the narrator calling the assembly of women "manipulators?" Give reasons.
Answer
Assembly of Women were rightly called 'manipulators' by narrator as they very successfully and crftly manipulated the spirits to answer their questions. The way in which they brought report about Helen's statement about the narrator calling him traitor seemed like manipulation to him.
(j) Why is John's wife angry? What does she decide to do?
Answer
John’s wife is angry because she, like other women, believed what the spirit said through the Ouija board, about her husband. A woman even reported that Helen has called John a traitor. Lavinia thought that her husband was cheating on her. She decided to go to her grandmother’s house. She also decided to separate from her husband.
(k) Why does John wish he were dead?
Answer
John wished he was dead because a brief meeting with a ghost had created such situations that he was about to lose his wife, whom he loved dearly; it destroyed his happiness and home.
(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.
Answer
John assures his wife that his flirtations with Helen the ghost are above board. He tries to tell her that whatever that has happened between him and Helen is over the board of Ouija and there was nothing that he wished to hide from his wife; in fact there was nothing to tell.
(m) John's apprehensions about his wife's reaction to her encounter with the ghost are unfounded. Justify.
Answers
John thought that his wife would become hysterical if she saw the ghost Helen; however, when the encounter happened, she confidently spoke to the ghost and was not at all scared of it.
Answer
Jenkins wanted the narrator to write fictions about ghosts i.e. ghost stories. He wanted supernatural theme which gave horror to the public as ghosts were live propositions.
(b) Does the narrator like writing ghost stories? Support your answer with evidence from the story.
Answer
No, the writer was not fond of writing ghost stories at all. He himself says 'I didn't specialize in ghost stories.' Whenever he sat down to write a ghost story, he hadn't the shade of an idea. He had chased the inspiration in vain for months when he started writing ghost fiction for the first time. This all shows that the narrator was, though natural, an accidental ghost fiction writer.
(c) What makes Helen, the ghost, and her other co-ghosts organize The Writer's Inspiration Bureau?
Answer
Helen and other co-ghosts organised The Writer’s Insipiration Bureau because they felt there were many writers without ideas, however, with a vulnerable mind who were looking for an inspiration to write ghost stories. The bureau would assign a ghost to such a writer so that he/she could write good ghost stories.
(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?
Answer
Helen had helped the narrator because he was keen to write ghost stories but had no ideas and his mind was impressionable. But now the ghosts were fed up of being called too often from their beds. They had given up haunting and had taken up answering questions on the Ouija board but people had started pestering them too of- ten. Helen promised to help the narrator if he would get his friends and acquaintances to stop using the Ouija board.
(e) How does the ghost undermine the narrator's faith in his ability to write ghost stories?
Answer
The narrator is sure that ghost stories specialize in him. He never refuses Jenkins whenever he demands a ghost story for his magazine. He had always been able to dig up one for him. So e has started feeling overconfident about his ability to write on the supernatural everytime. But the lady ghost tells him that he always call her to help him in writing a ghost story. Many a time she has leaned on his shoulder to give him ideas. Now, he will not get more ideas or plots of ghost stories for him. In this way, th lady ghost undermines the narrator's 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?
Answer
Lavinia, John’s wife, is a jealous lady. John does not want Helen to be seen by his wife for fear of complications in his married life. His wife is over sensitive and the sight of a ghost in her house will affect her badly. Lavinia is basically a lady, who is a spendthrift and socialite, spending her time in parties and friends.
(g) Why does the narrator hesitate to be a partner to Laura Hinkle during the Ouija Board Party?
Answer
Helen, the ghost, had asked the narrator to influence his friends to stop using the Ouija board. It was only on this condition that Helen promised to help the narrator to write ghost stories. If Helen sees him now himself trying to communicate ghosts through Ouija board, he fears how and what she would do to him. That is why the narrator was reluctant 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?
Answer
Helen called John a traitor as he bluffs her. He had promised Helen that he would convince his friends to stop contacting ghosts; rather here he himself was doing the same. She is annoyed and filled with anguish and so goes to everyone’s Ouija board one by one and tells that Mr. Hallock is a traitor. After this revelation everybody suspected John of cheating upon his wife, later John clarified to his wife and she even understood.
(i) Do you agree with the narrator calling the assembly of women "manipulators?" Give reasons.
Answer
Assembly of Women were rightly called 'manipulators' by narrator as they very successfully and crftly manipulated the spirits to answer their questions. The way in which they brought report about Helen's statement about the narrator calling him traitor seemed like manipulation to him.
(j) Why is John's wife angry? What does she decide to do?
Answer
John’s wife is angry because she, like other women, believed what the spirit said through the Ouija board, about her husband. A woman even reported that Helen has called John a traitor. Lavinia thought that her husband was cheating on her. She decided to go to her grandmother’s house. She also decided to separate from her husband.
(k) Why does John wish he were dead?
Answer
John wished he was dead because a brief meeting with a ghost had created such situations that he was about to lose his wife, whom he loved dearly; it destroyed his happiness and home.
(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.
Answer
John assures his wife that his flirtations with Helen the ghost are above board. He tries to tell her that whatever that has happened between him and Helen is over the board of Ouija and there was nothing that he wished to hide from his wife; in fact there was nothing to tell.
(m) John's apprehensions about his wife's reaction to her encounter with the ghost are unfounded. Justify.
Answers
John thought that his wife would become hysterical if she saw the ghost Helen; however, when the encounter happened, she confidently spoke to the ghost and was not at all scared of it.
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