Ghost Story Inspirations

No story is truly original; tales are collections of patterns and insights that have been passed on for generations. Stripping the meat of stories, the structures of books are strangely similar. Snow White is Rapunzel who is Cinderella. So as every good storyteller does, I am turning towards the master of the thriller genre to help me write the haunting story-- Edgar Allen Poe.

In the "Fall of the House of Usher", Poe uses an unreliable narrator to tell the tale. By using such a character, it creates an ambiguity: did it really happen, or was that really a figment of imagination? Should I be afraid of the dark and creepy houses now, or is it the narrator who just belongs in the mental ward? The uncertainty adds to the chilling tale that Poe provides.

Poe also uses dark and chilling imagery to illustrate the setting.

 "I looked upon the scene before me--upon the mere house, and the simple landscape features of the domain--upon the bleak walls--upon the vacant eye-like windows--upon a few rank sedges--and upon a few white trunks of decayed trees--with an utter depression of soul which I can compare to no earthly sensation more properly than to the after-dream of the reveller upon opium--the bitter lapse into everyday life--the hideous dropping off of the veil." 

By depicting the setting as sinister, Poe prepares the reader for a haunting tale. The mood is ready and set in stone. It's time for the action to unravel.

Incest is a popular plot point for the thriller genre. Not only is it absolutely revolting, but it can also explain the weird genetic patterns that may sometimes occur in the story. In the case of "The Fall of the House of Usher", Roderick Usher and his twin sister suffered mysterious and rare illnesses that could be explained only by the intermarriages within the family. And like I said, definitely strange and perfect for a disturbingly fun story.

The return of a dead character can also add tension to the story. After all, nothing is really as sinister as death. And conquering death, now we're talking. It's unnatural, weird, but it's something that in a way, we all want to do. (Even Dumbledore agrees.) And therefore, an idea that would capture the reader's attention.

Finally, nothing better to end a story than an ambiguous ending. As a supernatural tale, the fine line between reality versus fantasy will be unclear, which would make the readers edgy after they finish reading it. Nightmares for a week straight, hopefully. To make grown men cry out in fear.

And that's the point, right? To freak readers out? Or am I just being extra evil?

Nonetheless, I think Poe would be proud.