A Ghost Story by Mark Twain (1845)

Name: A Ghost Story
Author: Mark Twain

The narrator rents a large, old room in a deserted building on Broadway, feeling an eerie sense of solitude and dread. As he settles in, he reflects on the past, but soon experiences unsettling occurrences during the night. The bedclothes begin to slip away, and he hears heavy footsteps and strange noises, leading him to believe he is not alone. After a series of terrifying events, including the appearance of ghostly lights and disembodied hands, he encounters a spectral figure: the ghost of the Cardiff Giant, a famous petrified man. Initially frightened, the narrator soon realizes the ghost means no harm. The giant explains that he has been haunting the area to compel people to give his body a proper burial, as he has been restless since his death. The ghost reveals his exhaustion from the haunting and expresses a desire for peace. The narrator, intrigued, learns that the Cardiff Giant's remains are actually in Albany, not in the museum across the street where he has been haunting. This revelation leaves the ghost feeling foolish for having haunted the wrong place. The ghost, embarrassed and disheartened, asks the narrator to keep this information secret. As the ghost departs, he takes with him the narrator's blanket and bath-tub, leaving the narrator with a mix of sympathy and amusement at the absurdity of the situation. The story blends humor with supernatural elements, exploring themes of loneliness, the desire for closure, and the folly of misunderstanding one's own existence.

By Mark Twain · First published 1845 · Genre: Horror, Comedy, Fantasy · 2,839 words

First lines

I took a large room, far up Broadway, in a huge old building whose upper stories had been wholly unoccupied for years until I came. The place had long been given up to dust and cobwebs, to solitude and silence. I seemed groping among the tombs and invading the privacy of the dead, that first night I climbed up to my quarters. For the first time in my life a superstitious dread came over me; and as I turned a dark angle of the stairway and an invisible cobweb swung its slazy woof in my face and clung there, I shuddered as one who had encountered a phantom.

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A Ghost Story is listed on Textopian as a short story by Mark Twain, dated 1845 CE.

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Work type: Short story
Author: Mark Twain
Date: 1845 CE
Language: English
Genres: Horror, Comedy, Fantasy, Gothic Fiction, Literary Fiction
Length: 2,839 words
Structure: 1 section, 30 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Discussion starters

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How does this short story by Mark Twain fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Horror first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Horror — The story features supernatural elements, including ghosts and eerie occurrences, creating a sense of fear and suspense.
Comedy — The narrative incorporates humor through the interactions between the narrator and the ghost, particularly in the ghost's clumsy behavior and the absurdity of the situation.
Fantasy — The presence of a ghost and the exploration of the supernatural realm align with fantasy elements.
Gothic Fiction — The setting in an old, unoccupied building and themes of isolation and the supernatural reflect characteristics of Gothic literature.