THE WOMAN IN BLACK By Susan Hill

Published in It follows in the tradition of the classic ghost story.

THE VICTORIAN GHOST STORY  Genre  “I love traditional English, classic, ghost stories, particularly Victorian ghost stories which are virtually always dependent on atmosphere…” (Susan Hill)

VICTORIAN WRITERS  Charles Dickens – A Christmas Carol  Wilkie Collins – The Woman in White

CONVENTIONS OF A GHOST STORY  A ghost story is not the same as a horror story.  A ghost story can only be understood in terms of the supernatural.

WHAT DO WE NEED FOR A GHOST STORY?  A ghost  Gothic buildings - isolated  Vivid settings  Extreme weather conditions  A character who doesn’t believe in ghosts at the beginning

HINTS AND SUGGESTIONS  Foreshadowing – think how Susan Hill uses suggestion to create a sense of fear and foreboding.

THINGS WE WILL LOOK AT WHEN WE STUDY THE NOVEL  Context – the social, historical and literary influences.  The story takes place in the latter half of the nineteenth century

 Plot and structure  Chapter headings – what they tell us.

PLOT AND STRUCTURE  The sequence of events  How the story is told and by whom (first person narration)

CHARACTERISATION  Who is the protagonist?  (main character)  Who is the narrator (i.e. who is telling the story?)

THEMES  Ghost stories are written to entertain BUT  “This is a story about evil; about how suffering and grief can warp human personality.” (Susan Hill)

STYLE  A ghost story  How does Hill use setting?  How does Hill make descriptions effective?  The purpose of dialogue  Imagery and symbolism – how is this used?