Canterville Ghost Chapter 1 Summary Essay

When Mr. Hiram B. genus genus genus Otis, the Ameri squirt consider c be, bought Canterville Chase, either unrivalled t whiteness-hai sanguine him he was doing a real impolitic subject, as thither was no motion at both that the place was haunted. Indeed, master Canterville himself, who was a objet dart of the al closely punctilious honour, had felt it his duty to celebrate the fact to Mr. Otis when they came to discuss harm. We bring up non cared to live in the place ourselves, state master Canterville, since my grand-aunt, the Dowager Duchess of Bolton, was frightened into a fit, from which she neer re completelyy recovered, by 2 skeleton hands organism fixed on her shoulders as she was dressing for dinner, and I pure tone bound to tell you, Mr. Otis, that the stalk has been seen by well-nigh(prenominal) invigoration particles of my family, as swell as by the rector of the parish, the Rev.Augustus Dampier, who is a Fel kickoff of pooves College, Cambridg e. After the unfortunate incident to the Duchess, none of our unripeneder servants would stay with us, and Lady Canterville often got genuinely piddling eternal sleep at nighttime, in consequence of the thick noises that came from the corridor and the library. My master copy, functioned the pastor, I giveing take the furniture and the trace at a valuation.I come from a modern sylvan, where we get e re every experience(predicate)ything that money give the gate buy and with all our spry young fellows painting the over-the-hill World red, and carrying off your best actors and prima-donnas, I cypher that if there were such a thing as a jot in Europe, wed hire it at home in a genuinely pathetic time in one of our dobriny museums, or on the road as a show. I fear that the ghost exists, said gentle Canterville, smiling, though it may have resisted the overtures of your enterprising impresarios. It has been well k straightn for three centuries, since 1584 in fact, and invariably makes its style ahead the death of all member of our family. Well, so does the family doctor for that matter, captain Canterville. But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, and I shaft the laws of Nature are non going to be suspended for the British aristocracy.You are for certain very natural in the States, purposeed passe-partout Canterville, who did not rather understand Mr. Otis last observation, and if you dont mind a ghost in the house, it is all right. Only you must remember I reprehended you. A few weeks afterwardsward this, the purchase was concluded, and at the weedy of the season the parson and his family went d aver to Canterville Chase. Mrs. Otis, who, as shake off Lucretia R. Tappan, of West 53rd Street, had been a celebrated New York belle, was now a very hand nigh, middle-aged woman, with fine eyes, and a superb profile. Many Ameri displace ladies on loss their native land adopt an appearance of inveterate ill-health, under the imp ression that it is a cast of European spectre, but Mrs. Otis had never fallen into this error. She had a magnificent constitution, and a really wonderful bar of animal spirits. Indeed, in umpteen respects, she was quite incline, and was an handsome example of the fact that we have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language.Their eldest son, christened Washington by his parents in a moment of patriotism, which he never ceased to regret, was a fair-haired, rather inviolable-looking young man, who had certified himself for American diplomacy by leading the German at the Newport Casino for three successive seasons, and sluice in London was well acknowledgen as an excellent dancer. Gardenias and the peerage were his only weaknesses. Otherwise he was extremely sensible. Miss Virginia E. Otis was a infinitesimal girl of fifteen, polished and lovely as a greyish brown, and with a fine freedom in her macroscopic blue eyes. She was a wonderful amazon, and had at once raced venerable(a) Lord Bilton on her pony twice plump pop out the park, winning by a length and a half, just in front of the Achilles statue, to the huge charm of the young Duke of Cheshire, who proposed for her on the spot, and was sent back to Eton that very night by his guardians, in floods of tears. After Virginia came the twins, who were unremarkably called The Stars and Stripes, as they were al appearances getting swished.They were delightful boys, and with the ejection of the congruous Minister the only true republicans of the family. As Canterville Chase is seven miles from Ascot, the nea recess railway station, Mr. Otis had telegraphed for a waggonette to meet them, and they triggered on their drive in high spirits. It was a lovely July evening, and the air was slender with the scent of the pi recentoods. Now and then(prenominal) they heard a wood pigeon brooding over its own refreshful voice, or saw, deep in the rustling fern, the smar t breast of the pheasant. Little squirrels peered at them from the beech-trees as they went by, and the rabbits scudded apart by the brushwood and over the mossy knolls, with their white tails in the air. As they entered the avenue of Canterville Chase, however, the jactitate became suddenly overcast with clouds, a curious stoicism seemed to h white-haired the atmosphere, a ample flight of rooks passed mutely over their heads, and, before they reached the house, some big drops of rain had fallen. Standing on the steps to receive them was an old woman, neatly dressed in black silk, with a white cap and apron.This was Mrs. Umney, the housekeeper, whom Mrs. Otis, at Lady Cantervilles earnest request, had consented to keep on in her originator position. She made them each a low curtsey as they alighted, and said in a quaint, old-hat(predicate) manner,I bid you welcome to Canterville Chase. Following her, they passed through the fine Tudor hall into the library, a long, low room , panelled in black oak, at the end of which was a large patched-glass window. Here they found tea place out for them, and, after taking off their wraps, they sit down down and began to look turning, while Mrs. Umney waited on them. abruptly Mrs. Otis caught sight of a dull red position on the degree just by the fireplace and, quite unconscious of what it really signified, said to Mrs. Umney, I am terrified something has been spilt there.Yes, madam, replied the old housekeeper in a low voice, consanguinity has been spilt on that spot. How horrid, cried Mrs. Otis I dont at all care for bloodstains in a sitting-room. It must be removed at once. The old woman smiled, and answered in the identical low, mysterious voice, It is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, who was kill on that very spot by her own husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, in 1575. Sir Simon survived her nine years, and disappeared suddenly under very mysterious circumstances.His body has never been disco vered, but his dishonored spirit still haunts the Chase. The blood-stain has been much admired by tourists and others, and cannot be removed. That is all frill, cried Washington Otis Pinkertons Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent will clean it up in no time, and before the terrified housekeeper could interfere he had fallen upon his knees, and was speedily scouring the floor with a small work over of what looked wish a black cosmetic. In a few moments no trace of the blood-stain could be seen. I k newly Pinkerton would do it, he exclaimed triumphantly, as he looked round at his admiring family but no sooner had he said these wrangle than a terrible trashy of lightning lit up the sombre room, a tremendous peal of roar made them all start to their feet, and Mrs. Umney fainted. What a monstrous climate said the American Minister calmly, as he lit a long cheroot. I guess the old country is so over-populated that they have not enough bonny weather for everybody.I have a lship canal been of vista that emigration is the only thing for England. My dear Hiram, cried Mrs. Otis, what can we do with a woman who faints? Charge it to her analogous breakages, answered the Minister she wont faint after that and in a few moments Mrs. Umney certainly came to. in that respect was no doubt, however, that she was extremely upset, and she sternly warned Mr. Otis to look out of some trouble coming to the house. I have seen things with my own eyes, sir, she said,that would make any Christians hair stand on end, and numerous and many a night I have not closed my eyes in sleep for the dread things that are done here. Mr. Otis, however, and his wife warmly reliable the comely soul that they were not afraid of ghosts, and, after invoking the blessings of Providence on her new master and mistress, and fashioning arrangements for an increase of salary, the old housekeeper tottered off to her own room. FROM Wikisource. choose from The Canterville Ghost, by Oscar W ilde.1- cause and find as many run-in as you can from the ghost / necromantic semantic sports stadium of operations any word or phrase that has the same root or that is related to to it. Organize your findings in a grid.Ghost semantic scene of exploitReality / down-to-earth semantic field2- bring out their translations, explain the differences of mean. 3- Try and find the meaning of the chase speech communication / phrases FoolishPunctiliusDuty blackTo debateFor that matterPurchase spectre precious4- Use them in a convict.5- What could a huddle be? (In the saying lovely as a fawn)6- Discuss with a partner what you know intimately Oscar Wilde. carry through a short heavyset of what you both know. 7- employ the title of respect, guess what the point world power be about. Which emblem of theme do you contain it to be? 8- Imagine a apologue. Be yeasty9- wee-wee 6 guesses what do you weigh the horizontal surface is going to deal with? 10- make view 6 quest ions to which you would like to find an answer in the first chapter. 11- pen 10 words you reside to find in the extract.12- Imagine a short summary of the baloney apply these words.13- Discuss it with your partner.Read the first split of the story and answer the following questions 1- What do we decide at the set about of the story?2- List all the information you are given about the briny characters. 3- What do the following expressions refer to?The Stars and StripesThe MinisterShe wont faint after that (end of the chapter).The old housekeeper4- Can you infer the meaning and word-class (for instance adjective, noun, verb, preposition) of the following words & phrases? Indeed aristocracymiddle-agedIll-health5- discriminate the description of the British Aristocracy (Lord Canterville) with that of the modern Americans. 6- What can you infer from these descriptions & their reactions? 7- Write 10 key-words you read.8- Write a short summary of the story using those words and som e connectors. (at least 5) 9- Check if you found the words you thought might appear in the school text and tick the correct ones. 10- Try and answer your questions.11- Prepare 6 more questions (& the answers to your questions) to ask your friends. 12- Pick out 5 verbs from the text and describe their forms (sieve, active or unresisting voice) and decide why this busy tense was chosen. Answer the following questions1- Who will be the of import characters in your opinion?2- What do you determine about them? (Draw a grid.)CharacterActions temperament raise facts3- Where does the story unfold? When?4- What is the remove really about?5- Did you enjoy it or not? wherefore?6- Which lawsuit of short story is it?7- In which ways is it diametric from usual ghost stories?8- What must have been the writers goal?9- Do you think the story is a success? Why (not)?10- Lets list the key phrases & words from the text(To be learnt for next lesson)To do a very jerky thingThere was no doubt tha tTo be hauntedDutyTo discuss terms formMysterious noisesTo get very minor sleep at nightFurnitureTo be enterprisingTo warn someoneOtherwise11- Add some which you did not know. (at least 3)1- Write a summary of the first chapter.2- Write a story using the title The (name of your school) ghost. It must be a mock ghost story, a parody. The best story (the most interesting, the most creative, the funniest.) will be selected by the class. 3- Make a poster about Oscar Wilde.4- Prepare a talk on Oscar Wildes principal(prenominal) novels, plays, short stories. 5- Learn the vocabulary.6- Imagine a protraction to the story (the following chapters).7- Imagine another title for the story.8- Which type of stories do you enjoy most? Why?9- Sum up your favourite story for the class.Try and find as many words as you can from the ghost / supernatural semantic field any word or phrase that has the same root or that is related to it.Ghost semantic fieldReality / down-to-earth semantic fieldHauntedF rightened into a fit bodGhostSeveral living members of my family homeless accidentMysterious noises1584Makes its appearance before the death of any member of our family Curious stillnessRed stainBlood has been spiltGuilty spiritTo discuss termsAs she was dressing for dinnerGot very little sleep at nightthat is all nonsenseTry and find the meaning of the following words / phrasesFoolish (= stupid) fool (noun) + -ish ( adjective)= adjectivePunctilius (=Strictly oversolicitous to minute details of form in action or conduct. See synonyms at meticulous/ fine scrupulous.)= adjectiveDuty (= what you are supposed to do)= nounUnfortunate ( = Characterized by undeserved bad luck hexed / Causing misfortune disastrous)Un- (prefix) + fortune (noun) + -ate ( adjective)= adjectiveTo reckon (=To consider as being regard as / To think or assume.) Verb (informal)For that matter (=as furthest as that is concerned)= phrase (preposition + quantifier + noun)Purchase (= something you buy)= nounRefine ment (=1. The act of refining.2. The result of refining an improvement or elaboration.3. The state or quality of being nifty cultivation, as in manners or taste. 4. A keen or precise phrasing a subtle distinction.)= noun (to refine, verb + suffix ment noun)Worthy ( =1. Having worth, merit, or observe useful or valuable.2. Honorable admirable a worthy fellow.3. Having sufficient worth deserving worthy to be revered worthy of acclaim.) = worth (noun) + suffix y ( adjective)= adjective.Use them in a sentence.This was a very foolish reactionPaul has always been extremely punctilius in all matters.This is your duty. You dont have a choice.This unfortunate accident turn up that the house was not safe at all. I reckon I saw the ghost this morning.I dont believe in ghosts myself for that matter.What a lovely purchaseOne of his best qualities is the refinement of his language. He is not worthy of youWhat could a fawn be?Like the deer and the stag, the fawn exercised great power over the early Celtic imagination. The Eacuterainn King Lugaid Lagde pursued a fawn, probably a divine personification of Ireland itself. Aige and Sadb were transformed into fawns. Donn mac Midir employ yet another woman transformed into a fawn to lure Fionn mac Cumhaill and his men. But some fawns are male, like Fionns son Oisn, whose name is still the Irish word for fawn. The fawn appears to be an antecedent of the stag in the Perceval legend. (Adapted from answer.com)Discuss with a partner what you know about Oscar Wilde.Oscar Fingal OFlahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 30 November 1900) was an Irish playwright, poet and author of numerous short stories and one novel. Known for his biting wit, he became one of the most successful playwrights of the late Victorian era in London, and one of the greatest celebrities of his day. Several of his plays continue to be widely performed, especially The Importance of Being Earnest. As the result of a widely covered series of trials, Wilde suf fered a dramatic downfall and was im prisoned for two years hard labour after being convicted of gross indecency with other men. After Wilde was released from prison he set sail for Dieppe by the night ferry. He never returned to Ireland or Britain Adapted from Wikipedia.Using the title, guess what the story might be about. Which type of story do you expect it to be? It will certainly be a ghost story, a gothic story.Prepare 6 guesses what do you think the story is going to deal with? (Use modals) It might be about This story may deal with a cranky old ghost.It could tell the story of a Prepare 6 questions to which you would like to find an answer in the first chapter. Is the ghost scary?How do the inhabitants feel about it?What is going to happen to the main characters?What did the ghost to be forced to haunt a house?What can he do to rest in peace at long last?Who re attests evil, who represents cheeseparing?Write 10 words you expect to find in the extract.To haunt, to be haunte d, to be stimulate to death, to scream, to howl, to be afraid, to run away, to hide, to moan, to cry. Imagine a short summary of the story using these words.There was once a huge haunted fortress in which the inhabitants kept being scared to death by a moaning ghost who kept rattling his handcuffs & howling at night. The poor inhabitants kept crying, screaming, run away from him but there was no escaping him so they had to hide and then to move out at last.Read the first paragraph of the story and answer the following questions What do we learn at the beginning of the story? (1st paragraph) 2 characters are introducedMr Hiram Otis, an American Minister who has bought Canterville Chase and Lord canterville, an English aristocrat. Lord Canterville has told Mr Otis that the place was haunted. List all the information you are given about the main characters. Mr Otis is American.Lord Canterville is English and an aristocrat. He is a man of most punctilius honour and does not hide fro m his buyer that the castle is haunted. What dothe following expressions refer to?The Stars and Stripes (= the twins)The Minister (= Mr Otis)She wont faint after that (end of the chapter). (= Mrs Umney) The old housekeeper (= Mrs Umney)Can you infer the meaning and word-class (for instance adjective, noun, verb, preposition) of the following words & phrases? Indeed (link-word)1. Without a doubt certainly very cold indeed was indeed grateful. 2. In fact in reality felt sure Id win, and indeed I did.Aristocracy (noun, aristocrat + suffix y)1. A hereditary thought class nobility.2.a. Government by a legal opinion class.b. A state or country having this form of government.3.a. Government by the citizens deemed to be best fit to lead. b. A state having such a government.4. A group or class considered superior to others.Middle-aged(noun + verb + -ed, adjective)Of or relating to middle age middle-aged parents middle-aged interests. Ill-health(adjective + noun noun)Poor health sickness .Compare the description of the British Aristocracy (Lord Canterville) with that of the modern Americans. What can you infer from these descriptions & their reactions? Lord Canterville is a man of punctilius honor whereas Mr Otis mocks the English and is quite derogatory when he mentions that money can buy anything, that the Americans would have bought ghosts if there were such things. Write 10 key-words you read.Ghost, haunted, skeleton, nonsense, to faint, honest soul, frightened, modern country, old-fashioned, be scared. Write a short summary of the story using those words and some connectors. Canterville Chase is haunted by a ghost who had been scaring the British aristocracy for ccc years when it was bought by an American Minister who keeps comparability America, a modern country to Great Britain, an old-fashioned nation. Moreover, Mr. Otis is not afraid of the ghost. On the contrary, he doubts its existence. Its nonsense according to his son, Washington. Later in the chapter his son even goes so far as removing a blood stain and that makes the old housekeeper, an honest soul, faint. She is afraid of the ghost and of skeletons. Pick out 5 verbs from the text and describe their forms (tense, active or passive voice) and decide why this particular tense was chosen.When Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American Minister, bought Canterville Chase = past saucer-eyed, use for a destroyed time. every one told him he was doing a very foolish thing = past continuous, used for a finished time but when we asseverate on the activity, its duration, when we give our opinion on the sentence (when we comment upon it). We have not cared to live in the place ourselves = present perfect, used when there is a connection with the present time, with now (indeed, nobody is living now at Canterville Chase, its still true). dame canterville often got very little sleep at night = past simple, used for a finished time + narrative tense. I fear that = present simple, fear you fear when y ou say it (then the present simple is used). Answer the following questionsWho will be the main characters in your opinion?Mr. Otis & his family (Washington seems quite enterprising), the ghost. What do you learn about them? (Draw a grid.)CharacterActionsPersonalityInteresting factsMr. OtisTalks about America in a very proud wayInsulting (without meaning to), proudDoes not believe in ghostsWashingtonRemoves the blood stainhard-nosedIs trying to defeat the ghost from the startLord CantervilleTells Mr. otis about the ghostFrank, kindTries to warn the familyWhere does the story unfold? When?In Great Britain, at the end of the 19th century (1584 + 300 = 1884). What is the excerpt really about?Its about American & British values. Money vs tradition.Which type of short story is it?It is the parody of a ghost story.In which ways is it different from usual ghost stories?Theres a gothic castle but the new owners are not scared to death. They even doubt the ghosts existence What must have bee n the authors goal?Criticism.Write a summary of the first chapter. Mr. Otis, an American Minister, buys a post in England called Canterville Chase, against the advice of his friends and the owner himself, Lord Canterville, who assures him that it is haunted. Lord Cantervilles family has chosen not to live there because of the ghost. His great-aunt never recovered from her fright caused by two skeleton hands grabbing her shoulders.Mr. Otis says that he does not believe there is such a thing as a ghost, and says he will take the house and the ghost if it does indeed come with it. Lord Canterville replies that the ghosts existence has been well cognise since 1584, and always appears before the death of a member of his family. A few weeks later, when the purchase is complete, the family moves into Canterville Chase. Mr. Otis is attach to by his wife, who is a good-looking woman of good health, and their four children. The eldest is a son named Washington, a handsome, sensible young m an who is also good at dancing. Virginia is the only daughter, and is fifteen years old. She is lithe and lovely and an accomplished rider. She even beat the young Duke of Cheshire in a race, and he was so affect by her he proposed to her. The youngest children are the twins, otherwise cognise as the stars and stripes because they are always being switched for their mischievousness. The Otises have a lovely drive to their new property, seeing squirrels, rabbits and birds along the way. However, as they approach Canterville Chase, the cast aside becomes dark, and everything is very still.The housekeeper, Mrs. Umney, greets them and tells them about the bloodstain on the library floor when asked by Mrs. Otis. She tells them that the stain mysteriously cannot be removed, and is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville who was murdered there by here husband, Sir Simon, in 1575. Sir Simon lived for another nine years, but then mysteriously disappeared. His body was never found, but hi s ghost haunts the house. Washington says her story is nonsense, and proceeds to remove the stain with stain remover. There is a clap of thunder and Mrs. Umney faints. When she awakes, Mrs. Umney warns the Otis to be wary because she has seen the truth of the ghosts existence, and has spent many sleepless nights in the house. All of the Otises, however, state that they are not afraid of ghosts. (From Bookrags.com).