THE NIGHT THE GHOST GOT IN

Author : James Grover Thurber

Theme : Chaos in the house

Characters : The narrator, Herman, Mother,Mrs. Bodwell, Joe, Reporter, and The Grandfather.

Synopsis

*Introduction
*A strange sound
*Footsteps near the table
*Call for the police
*Entry of the police
*Mystery behind the chaos
*Conclusion

Introduction:

James Grover Thurber was an American cartoonist, best known for his cartoons and short
stories. This lesson clearly tells that too much of imagination will mislead the situation. Though
the theme is trivial, the story provokes all elements of a horror drama.

A strange sound:

It was about a quarter past 1’0 clock in the morning. The narrator was in the bathroom. He
heard a strange sound. He was scared. He thought it was a burglar or a ghost. So, he went to
his brother Herman’s room. They came out and looked downstairs. Nothing was there.

Footsteps near the table :

They heard the footsteps circling the dining-room table like a man running and it started up the
stairs towards them. So they rushed to their rooms and slammed the doors.

Call for the police:

Their mother was aroused by the sound. They thought that there was a burglar in the house. So
she threw her shoe at their neighbour Mr.Bodwell’s window to seek help. Mr. Bodwell called the
police.

Entry of the police:

When the police broke open the door, the narrator’s grandfather mistook them as General
Meade’s men who were retreating. So he grabbed the gun from them and shot at the police.
The police left the house empty-handed finally.

Mystery behind the chaos:

The next morning grandfather told that he had walked in the kitchen to have some water the
previous night.

Conclusion

It finally becomes clear that the narrator mistook his grandfather walking in the dark for a burglar
and then a ghost. Their imagination rewarded them a sleepless night of chaotic activities.

Moral: What you see can be a lie; what you hear can be a lie; What you investigate is real/true.