Ghost Story. A ghost story or story of the supernatural includes elements that cannot be explained in a rational or logical way. Look for supernatural elements as you read this story. Remember, Dickens also uses psychological elements in this story, so note the effect of the supernatural elements on the main character.
Setting and Mood. The setting of a literary work is the time and place in which it occurs, together with all the details used to create a sense of a particular time and place. Mood is the emotion created in the reader by part or all of a literary work.
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In A Christmas Carol, Dickens introduces several now famous spirits, including the ghost of Marley and three Christmas spirits. Dickens also included supernatural beings in short stories, such as “The Haunted House” and “The Lawyer and the Ghost.” “The Signalman” is also a tale of the supernatural. In “The Signalman,” Dickens mixes psychological elements with the supernatural.
As you read, make a cluster chart listing elements of the setting that contribute to the story’s mood.
Do you usually find ghost stories scary? Why, or why not?
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