A Shady Plot 232j3

A Shady Plot By Elsie Brown Summary John Hallock is a freelance author. He also works as an ant in an office. A ghost story was the first fiction he had written. It was liked by the readers. So whenever Jenkins wanted a ghost story, he would John. Jenkins asked him to write another Ghost story. So John sat down to write a ghost story soon after he reached home from his office. John was not able to think about the plot of the ghost story he wished to write. It was twilight by this time. He had forgotten to turn on the lamp. The other end of the room was full of shadows and furniture. Suddenly the ghost of Helen appeared from that part of the room. She was long and angular. She had large fishy eyes. She came over and stood in front of John. He asked her about her purpose of coming. She told John that he had been calling on heaven and earth all afternoon to help him write a story. Helen while in human form was an unsuccessful writer. As a ghost she found others who were like her. They organized „The writer‟s Inspiration Bureau‟. They would look for writers in search of ideas. Then the case was brought to the attention of the main office. One of them is deputed to help that writer. She claimed that previously she had been inspiring John with ideas to write but now the ghosts have decided to go on strike. They would not come to inspire the writers now. The ghost of Helen told John that the cause of strike was the Ouija board fanatics. The ghosts of have to sit at a desk and answer question of the Ouija board owners. They have become so busy now that they can hardly go to haunt now. She told John to use his good influence and help her. He should get all of his friends and acquaintances to stop using the Ouija board, and then the ghosts will start helping him again. Thereafter the ghost of Helen disappeared. Just then John‟s wife entered the room. She asked him why he was sitting in the dark. She told John that she had bought a fancy Ouija board. He was stunned to hear it. He tells his wife Lavinia to get rid of the Ouija board and buy something else. But she refuses to do so. John tried to write a ghost story; however, he was unable to do so. The next Saturday, he remained extremely busy till evening .When he reached home the maid Gladolia informed that Lavinia was arranging Ouija board party in the home. In the little parlour of the home women were sitting in two‟s. Between each couple was a Ouija board, Lavinia came to John and persuaded him to be a partner of Miss Laura Hinkle. A lady at the last moment had shown her inability to come. Unwillingly, John had to be Laura‟s partner. She held his hands and held them in the desired position. The little board began to slide around .Laura asked the board to tell them something. On the board the word „traitor‟ appeared. The board continued to spell. It indicated that the Traitor was John and her name was Helen. Five Ouija boards started calling John by name. Lavinia looked at John as if he was an insect. John got up and fled from there. He did not know how that party ended. He came to his room and went to sleep at three O‟Clock. Next morning Lavinia was not present at the breakfast table. John went to the library for another try at a ghost story. There he got a slip of paper Lavinia had written to John that she was going

back to her grandmother. She wrote that her lawyer would communicate with John later. John cried, „O, I wish I was dead!”. He again heard that horrible voice of Helen‟s ghost. John asked her why she had appeared like that in his room. She told him that she was sent to ask when his wife was going to get rid of that Quija board. John told her that it was because of her he had lost his wife. Then from outside Gladolia, their servant announced that she was going to quit her job. She did not like hoodoos. John told Helen‟s ghost that she had lost him his cook. Then the door opened and Lavinia entered. She was carrying a suitcase. She set down the suitcase on the floor. John leapt from his chair and sprang in front of her. She did not look at him or behind him. Lavinia told him that she had come to tell him that she was leaving. He said that it was fine .She said that he was behaving in a strange manner. She told John that he was concealing something from her. Then Gladolia told Lavinia that she was going to leave that place because of the Quija board .The maid said that she would never touch it. John volunteers to burn it. Lavinia insisted that John was concealing or hiding somebody there. She said that she would see. Who was behind him? She asked where that Helen was. The ghost of Helen appeared and said she was Helen. The Ghost of Helen disappeared. Lavinia fell into her husband‟s arms. John felt a sudden desire to write. He cried that he got an excellent plot for a ghost story. RTC-1 I found others who had suffered similarly, and between us we organized 'The Writer's Inspiration Bureau.' We scout around until we find a writer without ideas and with a mind soft enough to accept impression. The case is brought to the attention of the main office, and one of us assigned to it. When that case is finished we bring in a report." "But I never saw you before----" "And you wouldn't have this time if I hadn't come to announce the strike. Many a time I've leaned on your shoulder when you've thought you were thinking hard--" I groaned, and clutched my hair. The very idea of that horrible scarecrow so much as touching me! Q1. The strike was announced by a) labourers b) clerks c) officers d) ghosts Q2. The “others” had suffered similarly because of: a) Physical ailments b) mental disturbances c) being unsuccessful human being

d) being unsuccessful writers Q3. “The writer‟s inspiration Bureau‟ was organized by: a) Short story writers b) novelists c) ghosts d) poets Q4. The author‟s thinking while writing stories was due to: a) Inspiration got from Lavinia b) Inspiration got from books c) Inspiration got from people d) Inspiration got from Helen. RTC -2 B. The next day was Saturday, and it being near the end of the month and a particularly busy day, I left home early without seeing Lavinia. Understand, I haven't quite reached the point where I can give my whole time to writing, and being bookkeeper11 for a lumber company does help with the grocery bills and pay for Lavinia's fancy shopping. Friday had been a half holiday, and of course when I got back the work was piled up pretty high; so high, in fact, that ghosts and stories and everything else vanished in a perfect tangle of figures. Q1. Writing for the narrator was: a) a full time profession b) a fad c) a free lancing activity d) a compulsion Q2. Lavinia seems to be a: a) miser b) spend thrift c) economical

d) disinterested in spending money Q3. Besides being an author the narrator was also: a) an engineer b) an ant c) a publisher d) a book –shop owner Q4. On Saturday the narrator was a) Extremely busy b) casually busy c) not so busy d) not at all busy

Solved Short question 30-40 Words Q1. “Didn‟t you send for me?” Had the author really sent for the Helen‟s ghost? Ans. The author had not sent for her but Helen said it was she who always had come in an invisible form to help write a ghost story .And today she had come in a visible form as he had been calling on heaven and earth all afternoon to help him write a ghost story. She came to inform him that they were on strike. Q2. Why had the ghost gone on strike? Ans. “The writers Inspiration Bureau” was formed by the ghosts to help the authors with the ideas. They look for a writer without ideas but with a receptive mind. Then the main office deputes one of them to help the author. The ghosts had gone on strike as they had to remain busy now- a- days sitting on the Quija board and answering questions. As a result they are not able to haunt. Q3. What was the outcome of the Quija board party? Ans. In the Quija board party the spirit of Helen spelled „trailor „again and again on the board of John. It created a misunderstanding and rift between Lavinia and John. Lavinia thought that her husband had been cheating on her and had an affair with Helen previously. After the spirit of Helen spelled „trailor‟ for John, Lavinia decided that she would go back to her grandmother‟s place. Gladolia, their servant also decided to quit her job as she was against hoodoos and magic.

Short questions for Practice( 30-40 words) Q1. Why had the ghosts gone on strike? Q2. How do you know Jenkins liked John‟s writing? Q3. Do you think Lavinia was a spend thrift and a jealous lady? Why/ why not.

Long Question solved (150 words) Q . How was Lavinia‟s misunderstanding removed? Did she drop the idea of leaving John? Ans. John had gone to the Library to try to write a ghost story the next day morning after the Quija board party. Again the ghost of Helen appeared before him. She had been sent to ask John when his wife would get rid of that Quija board. suddenly the door opened and Lavinia appeared. She was carrying a suitcase. Helen had hidden behind the curtains as lavinia entered. Lavinia told John that she was leaving. John said that it was fine. His strange behavior created doubt in Lavinia‟s mind. She guessed John was concealing or hiding someone there. She asked where Helen was. The ghost of Helen replied that she was Helen. Lavinia got rid of her misunderstanding and dropped the idea of leaving John. Lavinia mind rested only when she met Helen and understood it was just a ghost of Helen of Troy and that her husband had no affair with any woman alive. Long questions for Practice Q1. Do you think the story „A Shady plot‟ contains comic and amusing incidents from the text? Q2. After Lavinia‟s misunderstanding about John was removed, She decides to write in her diary about it .Write a diary entry on behalf of Lavinia in not more than 100 words