11.(ii) What role did the Ouija board play in the story ? (A Shady Plot)
11.(ii) What role did the Ouija board play in the story ? (A Shady Plot)
The Ouija board serves as the medium linking the human and spirit worlds. When Lavinia, John Hallock's wife, holds a séance with it, the board summons the ghost Helen, who had secretly been feeding John plots for his ghost stories. This revelation drives the story's climax, triggering Lavinia's jealousy and comic confusion before the humorous resolution.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: for identifying the Ouija board as a means of contacting/summoning spirits (used at Lavinia's séance).
- 21 mark: for its role in the plot — summoning the ghost Helen and causing the comic confusion/jealousy and climax.
- 3Accept any answer that shows the board links the human and spirit worlds and advances the story.
Hint
Think of the Ouija board as the 'telephone line' between the living characters and the ghost — what does it make happen?
Quick Oral Answer
The Ouija board is the bridge to the spirit world — Lavinia's séance uses it to summon the ghost Helen, exposing her secret help to John and setting off the jealousy and comic confusion that form the story's climax.
Analysis & Explanation
The Ouija board is the pivotal device that drives the plot of 'A Shady Plot' to its comic climax.
Concept
- It functions as the link between the human and spirit worlds in the story.
Key points
- John's wife Lavinia buys the board and holds a séance with her friend.
- Through it, the ghost Helen — who secretly supplied John's ghost-story plots — is summoned into the open.
- This sparks Lavinia's jealousy and the comic confusion that resolves the story.
Common mistakes
- परीक्षा में सावधानी: describing the plot generally without naming the board's specific function (summoning/communicating with spirits) loses marks.
Common Mistakes
- 1Describing the whole story instead of stating the board's specific role as the spirit-communication device.
- 2Forgetting to mention that the board summons the ghost Helen and triggers the comic climax.
- 3Confusing character names — the wife is Lavinia and the helpful ghost is Helen.
Previously Asked
What does Ouija board in 'A Shady Plot' symbolize?
Interesting Facts
A Ouija board (planchette board) was a hugely popular parlour game in early 20th-century America, which is why it appears so naturally in this 1920s-era story.
The title 'A Shady Plot' is a pun — 'shady' means both ghostly ('shade' = spirit) and dishonest, hinting at the ghost's secret 'plot' of supplying story ideas.
The story satirises the writer's dependence on 'inspiration', comically literalising it as a ghost who can go on strike.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Ouija board?
A Ouija board is a flat board marked with letters and numbers, used with a movable pointer (planchette) at a séance to spell out messages supposedly from spirits. In 'A Shady Plot' it becomes the means of contacting the ghost Helen.
Who uses the Ouija board in A Shady Plot?
John Hallock's wife Lavinia, along with her friend, uses the Ouija board during a séance. Its use summons the ghost Helen and drives the story toward its humorous climax.