Literature Reader Chapter 4 A Shady Plot

Ouija boards and tarot cards are appendages used by those who do not know how to face life’s adversities and depend on such supernatural paraphernalia to understand life. A Shady Plot shows us how such things can backfire and one should exercise caution in invoking powers over which they do not have any control.  People shouldn’t depend on devices like Tarot Cards and Ouija Boards to solve their problems because superstitions lead to unnecessary troubles. John Hallock’s dependency on Ouija Board stunted his creativity. He couldn’t conceive creative ideas of his own. On account of his inability to reveal his relationship with Helen, the ghost, the shadows of divorce loomed large over his relationship with his wife, Lavinia. Things only became crystal clear after Lavinia threw away the Ouija Board. The misunderstandings got cleared, his wife and maid returned to him. The ghost was no longer a threat to the wife. To conclude, a man gifted with wit and intelligence should use them to solve his problems to have a better control over his life.

John’s wife wanted him to participate in the Ouija game. The game does not reach its conclusion because it is disturbed by Helen; the ghost. She got angry with him because she suspected some affair between her husband and someone named Helen during Ouija game. She felt betrayed and decided to leave John and go back to her grandmother. She told John that she was going away and her lawyer would communicate with him later.

The poet threw the log at the snake when it slowly proceeded to curve round and move away from the water trough. He did so because regrets having missed his opportunity of knowing and understanding one of the lords of life.

Nature foretold Caesar’s death by showing some bad omens. There was thunder and lightning at the backdrop while Caesar’s wife cried out in her sleep thrice saying “Help ho! They murder Caesar!” Caesar's wife saw a lioness running in the street, dead rising out of the graves, warriors fighting upon the clouds and the Capitol covered with blood. Another bad omen was that when the priests searched the entrails of an animal for sacrifice as asked by Caesar, they found the heart missing.

Ouija boards and tarot cards are appendages used by those who do not know how to face life’s adversities and depend on such supernatural paraphernalia to understand life. A Shady Plot shows us how such things can backfire and one should exercise caution in invoking powers over which they do not have any control. People shouldn’t depend on devices like Tarot Cards and Ouija Boards to solve their problems because superstitions lead to unnecessary troubles. John Hallock’s dependency on Ouija Board stunted his creativity. He couldn’t conceive creative ideas of his own. On account of his inability to reveal his relationship with Helen, the ghost, the shadows of divorce loomed large over his relationship with his wife, Lavinia. Things only became crystal clear after Lavinia threw away the Ouija Board. The misunderstandings got cleared, his wife and maid returned to him. The ghost was no longer a threat to the wife. To conclude, a man gifted with wit and intelligence, should use them to solve his problems to have a better control over his life.

(i) ‘I’ in the extract is John Hallock, the narrator. He did not have any idea about the ghost story that he had been asked to write by his boss.

(ii) He was not worried in the least because he had been like that before too.

(iii) Earlier, John had been helped by spirits to write a good ghost; thus, things had turned out right for him.

Lavinia feels that the Ouija board would help her husband write historical books without the hassle of going through thick history books for reference. He could simply summon the spirits of Helen of Troy, Napoleon or William the Conqueror and extract information from them.

The narrator, John Hallock was very desperate for inspiration. His wife, Lavinia got an Ouija board for her husband thinking that his interactions with ghosts will actually help him get creative ideas for his stories. The Ouija Board helped him in summoning the ghost, Helen who provided him with creative inputs for his story. Helen found his mind soft enough to accept impression and helped him. Unfortunately, the new fad of people using Ouija boards to call upon ghosts to answer their questions exhausted her. She threatened John that she would go on strike. She wanted the narrator to pressurise his acquaintances to quit using the Ouija board. On the other hand, his wife overhears him talking to the ghost of Helen one day. Mistaking the ghost for another lady, she believed that her husband was unfaithful to her.

(a) The speaker here is the ghost of the Helen of Troy. Here Hallock is being addressed.
(b) The speaker's complaint is that the ghosts of the Writer's Inspiration Bureau were tired working all night communicating to people through the Ouija Party, answering their silly questions.
(c) An Ouija Board is a board on which are marked the letters of the alphabet. Answers to questions are spelt out by a pointer or glass held by the fingertips of the participants and is supposedly formed by spiritual forces.

John wanted his wife to get rid of the Ouija board she had bought as he was instructed to do so by the ghost of Helen of Troy. She conveyed the truth that the ghosts of the bureau were tired working all night communicating to people through the Ouija Party, answering their silly questions.

Lavinia feels that the Ouija board would help her husband in writing. She feels that rather than by reading thick history books, he could write a historical novel by talking to the spirit of Napoleon or William the Conqueror, or Helen of Troy, using the Ouija board. It would also help him write his short stories.

Michael’s dad was extremely passionate about computers. He couldn’t resist any new gadgets that came in the market. He shared his passion with his son and the two visited the Computer Fairs.

John’s wife is angry because she feels that he is cheating on her with another woman named Helen. She decided to leave John’s house and go back to her grandmother. She also decided to send John a court notice.

D.

working as an accountant in a lumber company

B.

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

A.

fear 

D.

stop people from using the Ouija board

D.

anxiety

B.

ironic

D.

the ghost materialising in sections 

C.

she is afraid of magic and hoodoo

Jenkins wanted the narrator to write horrifying ghost stories including supernatural happenings because people liked reading these kinds of stories. 

No, the narrator didn't like writing ghost stories as he didn't have the shade of an idea and also wasn't specialised in this genre. He had chased the inspiration in vain for months when he first began writing ghost stories. 

Helen and other co-ghosts organized The Writer's Inspiration Bureau to help the writers get inspiration, ideas and plots to write good horrifying ghost stories. 

Helen had been helping the narrator because he was one of the writers who were seeking inspiration and ideas to complete their ghost stories. She was going on strike because they were all fed up of being called very often and were pulled off from their beds. She promised to provide continued help if he will stop people from using Ouija board.

It was a ghost fiction that he had written for the first time and believed that the ghost stories were specialised in him. Helen, the ghost told him that she had sat on his shoulders and had given him plots. She and other ghosts had organised The Writer's inspiration Bureau to help the writers in getting plots. But she was fed up and now she won't help the writers as they were called so often.

John wanted the ghost to disappear before his wife appears on the scene because his wife already had a doubt on him regarding his relationship with another woman and this time he didn't want to create more mess in his married life. His wife was jealous and suspicious.

The narrator hesitated to be a partner to Laura Hinkle during the Ouija Board Party because he wanted to convince her wife and people not to use the Ouija Board because Helen, the ghost said him to do so. 

The ghost tells everyone that Mr. Hallock is a traitor as he promised her that he will convince everyone not to use Ouija Board but he himself sat there and started using it. Hearing the words 'Traitor' and 'Helen', everyone suspected that he is betraying his wife.

Yes, I agree with the narrator calling the assembly of women 'manipulators' as they were successful in calling the ghosts and smartly manipulated them to answer their questions.

John's wife was angry because the Ouija board spelt Traitor and on asking, it spelt his name. On enquiring, she got to know that it was a woman's spirit who contacted them. John didn't say anything on it. So she suspected that he has betrayed her. And decides to leave him.

John wished he were dead because the ghost created such doubts in his wife's mind that she would never trust him and he was close to lose his wife. 

John assures his wife that there was nothing to hide. And the flirtations were open. Nothing was hidden. 

John feared that his wife would faint on an encounter with the ghost. But this didn't happen as when she saw her, a broad and satisfied smile spread over her face. So his apprehensions about his wife's reaction were baseless.

ghost town 

ghost image 

a ghost of a chance 

the ghost at the feast

ghost-write

lay the ghost of something

Dear friend,   
Hope you are doing well. It's been a while, we haven't contacted each other. I am writing you this letter to tell you about my relationship that was on the verge of breaking and how it was saved. 
Five days ago, I bought an Ouija board to try it out. And the next day, in extreme excitement, I organised a party where I invited all of my friends. I wanted us all to try it and know how it works. So I coupled them all. I asked my husband to be a partner to Laura Hickle. Miss Hickle took my husband's fingers and moved it on Ouija board. Then a spirit named Helen communicated with us and the letters spelt TRAITOR. All of us were shocked to know how is he a traitor. I frowned and looked at him. He didn't answer and left that place. I suspected that he must be hiding something from me.
The whole night went in anguish. I packed my suitcase and decided to leave him. But the next morning when I went to inform him, I saw he was hiding someone behind him. I pushed him aside and I saw her, Helen, the ghost. She was an owl-eyed phantom in plaid skirt and stiff shirtwaist.
 
He explained that she had been helping him in writing ghost stories. But she was fed up now as people called her often times. So she took a promise from him that he will stop his aquaintances from using Ouija board and he broke it as I didn't listen to him. But now the confusion was clear. 
I am happy that it sorted out soon and my marriage got saved.
Hope you have liked reading it. 
Looking forward to your reply,
Your's faithfully,
Lavinia

21st Sep
Dear Diary,
Few days ago, I had a very tragic experience. I was home, on my desk starting to write a ghost story. I spoke loudly to myself 'This writing business is delightful, isn't it?'. I heard a voice in my reply saying 'Yes it is'. Then I saw a figure taking shape, appeared to be a ghost. I was terrified. It was a woman, tall, fish-eyed and was wearing glasses. At first, I couldn't believe my eyes but gradually I started listening to her. She told me that she along with the other ghosts had organised The Writer's Inspiration Bureau for the writers to help them in writing ghost stories. I didn't believe her. She then told me that she had given me the plots by sitting on my shoulders. Then she told that she was going on a strike as she was fed up being called by the writers very often. She then told me that if I will stop my acquaintances from using Ouija Board then only she would help me any further. I agreed.
But the same day my wifr bought an Ouija Board and organised a party where she asked me to be a partner of Miss Laura. I didn't know how to react other than to simply go and sit beside her. She took my fingers and moved them on the Ouija Board. The Ouija Board spelt TRAITOR. Everyone's eyes were on me. Then it spelt Helen. Everyone started questioning who is Helen. I didn't reply. 
Next morning when my wife came to me to inform me that she is leaving me, she suspected I was hiding someone behind me. Then she encountered with her. And got surprised. I told my wife about her and saved my love and marriage.

Helen's ghost

Because she was tired, as called frequently by Ouija Board users and had no time for entertainment or to haunt people

Idea or Story

Hallock not only earns his livelihood by writing stories and publishing it in Mr. Jenkins magazine but he also works as an accountant in a lumber company for paying the grocery bills and to pay for Lavinia's fancy shopping.

When in the party the Ouija board refers to John as a traitor and hints at the name of someone by the name of Helen in his life, Lavinia is not amused. She looks at John very suspectingly, through narrow lids and then as all the other ladies get after John, Lavinia becomes all the more angry. Next morning, she tells John that she is leaving the house and her lawyers would communicate with him later. When asked by her maid, Gladolia, as to what should be done with the Ouija board, Lavinia tells her to use the board for kindling wood. When Lavinia finally gets to know Helen's real identity that Helen is actually a ghost, she is finally able to get rid of her superstitious belief in Ouija boards. She is finally able to forgive John as he could not be having an affair with a spirit.