Characteristics of funny ghost stories include a lack of extreme gore or violence. They focus more on the comical side of the supernatural. The ghosts in these stories can be clumsy or have odd quirks. For example, a ghost that is always tripping over its own spectral robes. The plot often involves some sort of miscommunication between the living and the dead that leads to humorous situations. Instead of a dark and menacing atmosphere, there's a more light - hearted and even warm feeling in these stories.
One characteristic is the unexpected. For example, a ghost that acts in a silly way instead of being just menacing. Like a ghost that trips over its own spectral sheet. Another is the use of irony. Such as a ghost who is afraid of the living. It makes the story funny but also keeps the spooky element as it's still a ghost.
One characteristic is the unexpected behavior of the ghost. For example, a ghost that scares people by appearing suddenly but then does something silly like tripping over its own spectral feet. This mix of the frightening sudden appearance and the comical action makes it a funny but scary story.
One characteristic is the use of Irish folklore elements in a humorous way. For example, taking the traditional spooky creatures like the Pooka and making them do silly things. The Pooka, which is usually a shape - shifter that can cause trouble, might be shown as a Pooka that can't shift shapes properly and ends up looking like a half - donkey, half - human, which is quite comical.
They often have ghosts that are not too scary. For example, the ghosts might be small, cute, or bumbling. In a lot of these stories, the ghosts are more like friendly characters. Like in the story where a little ghost just wants to play with the kids but keeps getting things wrong, like knocking over a stack of toys while trying to show a magic trick.
In these stories, the ghosts are often not very scary. They can be clumsy, like when they try to float through walls but end up getting stuck halfway. They also tend to be a bit silly, for instance, making faces at people instead of scaring them.
They are often based on simple and relatable situations. For example, things that can happen in daily life like interactions between family members or pets. They don't rely on vulgar or inappropriate content to be funny. Instead, they use elements like unexpected twists, cute animal behaviors or innocent misunderstandings.
One characteristic could be transparency. Ghosts are often depicted as being see - through, like a faint apparition. Another is the ability to float or move without using normal means of locomotion. They can also be associated with cold spots, as if they bring a chill with them. And they might have a certain glow or an otherworldly light about them. Lastly, they may make strange noises, like moans or whispers.
Bad ghost stories often lack originality. They might reuse the same old tropes like a white - sheet - wearing ghost moaning in a dark hallway. Also, they can have poor character development, making it hard for the reader or listener to care about what happens to the people in the story.
One characteristic is their simplicity. They didn't have elaborate special effects like modern horror stories. The focus was more on the message. Puritan ghost stories also frequently involved the dead coming back to haunt the living due to unfulfilled duties or wrongdoings. These stories were often passed down orally within the Puritan communities and were a way to keep the community in line with their strict religious beliefs.
They were also filled with superstition. People in the Elizabethan era believed in things like the afterlife, purgatory, and the power of the spirit world. So, these ghost stories incorporated such beliefs. The settings were typically dark and spooky, like old castles or desolate graveyards, adding to the overall sense of fear and mystery.