What does Ouija board in 'A Shady Plot' symbolize?
The Ouija board symbolizes the disruption of domestic peace and the obsession with spiritualist fads. It acts as a bridge between the living and the ghosts, leading to conflict in Hallock's life.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark for identifying that the Ouija board symbolizes the bridge between the living and the supernatural/spirit world.
- 21 mark for explaining its role in symbolizing disruption of domestic peace or the obsession with spiritualist fads.
Hint
Think about what the Ouija board represents in terms of human obsessions and what chaos it introduces into Hallock's household.
Quick Oral Answer
The Ouija board symbolizes the disruption of domestic peace and the human obsession with spiritualist fads. It serves as a bridge between the living and the dead, creating conflict in Hallock's life and marriage.
Analysis & Explanation
This question asks about symbolism, which requires students to identify what the Ouija board represents beyond its literal function as a communication device. The Ouija board in 'A Shady Plot' operates on multiple symbolic levels. At the surface level, it represents the early 20th-century obsession with spiritualism and the supernatural, which Elsie Brown satirizes throughout the story. More importantly, it symbolizes the disruption of domestic peace, as it directly causes the marital conflict between Hallock and his wife Lavinia. When Helen the ghost communicates through the board, Lavinia suspects infidelity, turning a harmless fad into a serious relationship crisis. The board also symbolizes the bridge between the living and the dead, representing how humans trivialize serious matters by treating spiritual communication as entertainment. For 2 marks, students need to provide at least two symbolic meanings: the disruption of peace and the supernatural connection. A common mistake is treating the Ouija board as just a prop in the story rather than analyzing its symbolic significance. Another error is writing a plot summary instead of discussing symbolism. The best answers will connect the board to the story's broader theme about how superficial pursuits (spiritualist fads) can have real consequences (marital discord, ghost strikes). This question tests higher-order thinking because symbolism requires interpretation, not just recall.
Common Mistakes
- 1Treating the Ouija board as merely a game or plot device instead of analyzing what it symbolizes in the story's thematic context.
- 2Writing a summary of the entire story's plot instead of focusing specifically on the symbolism of the Ouija board and its deeper meanings.
- 3Failing to mention the domestic disruption angle, which is one of the board's most important symbolic functions, as it causes the marital conflict between Hallock and Lavinia.
Interesting Facts
The Ouija board was patented in the United States in 1891 by businessman Elijah Bond. It became massively popular during World War I as grieving families tried to contact soldiers who had died, leading to the spiritualism craze satirized in the story.
The name 'Ouija' is popularly believed to come from the French 'oui' and German 'ja', both meaning 'yes'. However, one of the board's creators claimed the board itself spelled out its own name during a session.
Elsie Brown's story was published during the early 20th-century American spiritualism movement, when an estimated 10 million Americans believed in communicating with the dead. The story humorously mocks this cultural obsession.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'shady plot' that the ghosts devise in the story?
The ghosts' shady plot is their plan to go on strike and refuse to help writers anymore. They are tired of being summoned through Ouija boards by people who treat their communication as a parlour game rather than respecting the spirit world.
How does the Ouija board create problems in Hallock's marriage?
When Hallock's wife Lavinia brings a Ouija board home and the ghost Helen communicates through it calling Hallock by name, Lavinia becomes jealous and suspicious, thinking Hallock is having an affair with a woman named Helen.
Who is the author of 'A Shady Plot'?
The story is written by Elsie Brown, an American author. It is a humorous ghost story that satirizes the early 20th-century craze for spiritualism and Ouija boards.