There were real - life accounts of unexplained noises and sightings in the Paris Opera House. People might have heard strange sounds coming from the less - visited areas, like the catacombs. And in the society of that era, those with physical abnormalities often faced discrimination. Leroux combined these elements. He used the idea of a mysterious figure in the opera house, which could have been inspired by the strange happenings there, and added the social aspect of the outcast with a disfigurement to create Erik in 'The Phantom of the Opera'.
The rumors of a strange presence in the Paris Opera House catacombs could be one. Also, there might have been stories of people with disfigurements being shunned in society at that time, which could have contributed to the creation of Erik's character.
It could be inspired by the real - life power struggles. In society, there are often people vying for power and wealth, just like the villains in the story who are after the Baudelaire orphans' fortune. Also, the feeling of being constantly on the run and in danger might be based on the experiences of some persecuted groups in history.
There could be numerous real - life forensic cases where an unidentified body is found with strange and unexplained injuries. Cases where the initial examination doesn't yield clear answers might have inspired it.
One possible real - life inspiration could be cases where bodies are found in strange locations with no obvious cause of death. For example, bodies found in isolated areas with no signs of trauma but still dead.
One could be the various cases of police officers being involved in organized crime or taking bribes. These types of scandals in the police force could have provided inspiration.
There could be old asylum stories. Asylums often have a reputation for being haunted due to the suffering and death that occurred there. The creepy atmosphere of an old asylum could be similar to the house in the movie.
The real - life events of World War II in France were surely the main inspiration. There were countless acts of heroism and survival. The way the French people had to adapt to the harsh rule of the Nazis, and the small acts of defiance that grew into larger resistance efforts. Also, the experiences of families being torn apart and then reunited in different ways might have inspired the story of the sisters in 'The Nightingale'.
There are stories of people having a gut feeling before a plane crash or a major accident. For example, some passengers on doomed flights have reported feeling uneasy or having a sense of dread before the flight took off. These types of premonitions could have inspired the movie's concept.
No, it's not a real story. It's a fictional creation by the author.
It's possible that the idea came from stories of family dysfunction. For instance, families with strict hierarchies where some members are oppressed. Also, situations where children are made to endure difficult living conditions, perhaps due to family shame or other complex reasons. However, it's hard to pinpoint exactly which real - life events inspired it as the author has added so much of her own fictional touch. But these are some general areas where real - life inspiration might have been drawn from.
Maybe some cases of unrequited love where one person goes to extreme lengths to get the other's attention, like moving to a new place just to be near them.