He added a great deal of atmosphere. His use of settings like old, isolated places such as ancient churches and desolate coastlines made his stories more spooky.
His detailed descriptions were also a big influence. He would describe the appearance of the ghosts in a vivid but also somewhat ambiguous way, leaving a lot to the reader's imagination. This made his ghost stories all the more effective and influenced later writers to also use this technique.
One of the well - known ones is 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad'. It's a classic that creates a very eerie atmosphere with its desolate setting and the spooky apparition that haunts the protagonist.
The significance of 'A School Story' also lies in its exploration of the psychological state of the characters. The students or teachers in the story may experience fear, confusion, or disbelief as they encounter the supernatural elements. This not only adds to the horror but also makes the reader more empathetic towards the characters as they try to deal with the abnormal situation in their otherwise normal school setting.
One of the main themes is the intrusion of the supernatural into the ordinary. A school is a common, everyday place, and when something otherworldly occurs there, it creates a strong contrast.
Woolf influenced the genre by making it more about the internal world of the characters. Her ghost stories were less about the traditional scares and more about the psychological unease. James, on the other hand, influenced it through his exploration of the social and moral aspects. His stories set in different social milieus showed how the supernatural could interact with society. For example, his stories often had characters from different classes dealing with the presence of the ghost, which added a new layer to the genre.
His stories were so influential because he had a unique way of building suspense. Take 'The Tapestried Chamber' for example. He slowly reveals the strange happenings in the chamber, which made other writers in the genre start to focus more on creating a sense of anticipation in their own ghost stories. Also, his detailed descriptions of the supernatural elements made them seem more real and less like just fictional scares, which set a new standard for the genre.
Amelia Edwards' Ghost Stories influenced the horror genre by setting a standard for atmospheric storytelling. Her ability to create a spooky mood was emulated by many later horror writers.
His stories added a new dimension to the horror genre. They influenced other writers to focus more on character psychology when dealing with the supernatural.
Edward Gorey's Ghost Stories influenced the horror genre by bringing a unique aesthetic. His black - and - white illustrations added a new visual dimension to horror. They were detailed and haunting, and many horror creators were inspired by his style of visual storytelling.
Lady Cynthia Asquith was a writer who had a great impact on the ghost story genre. She was part of a society where she might have heard many tales that inspired her own works. Her stories influenced the genre by adding a touch of elegance. In her stories, the ghosts were not just simple scares but often had a deeper meaning or backstory, which made readers think more about the supernatural world. Her works also influenced other writers to explore more complex characters in their ghost stories.
It sets new standards for visual effects in the genre. Other creators often look to it for inspiration in creating their own science - fiction worlds.