The Canterville Ghost - Study Guide 1 - Story layout and Characters

                         The Story Skeleton

The Canterville Ghost in real life committed a terrible crime – he killed his wife because she was plain and a bad housekeeper. He was punished for it by his wife’s brothers, who locked him up in a room to starve to death.

And yet, the story of the Canterville Ghost is largely a comedy. The ghost has successfully haunted Canterville Chase for hundreds of years, but the Otis family from America prove too much for him, with their practical solutions to all ghostly manifestations, and the terrible twins who tormenthim until all he dares to do is creep around the house as quietly as possible, instead of wailing and rattling his

chains. Finally the ghost confesses his problems to the girl of the family, Virginia, and she helps him to find eternal rest.

                      Layout

 Chapters 1 to 4

·     Protagonist: Mr. Otis

·     Antagonist: the ghost

·     Object: to turn out the ghost

·     Protagonist’s helper: Washington and the twins

·     Antagonist’s helper: his supernatural powers

Chapters 5 to 7

·     Protagonists: the ghost

·     Antagonist: Mr Otis

·     Object: the ghost soul’s liberation

·     Protagonist’s helper: Virginia

·     Antagonist’s helper: his family, excluding Virginia, and the Duke of Chesire