Traditional ghost stories usually follow a set formula with a haunted location, a clear antagonist in the form of a ghost, and a goal to either exorcise the ghost or solve the mystery behind it. In mumblecore ghost stories, it's more about the characters' day - to - day lives being affected by something intangible, like a past relationship that's 'haunting' them. The settings are often ordinary, everyday places rather than the spooky mansions of traditional ghost tales. Also, the dialogue in mumblecore is very naturalistic and might not focus as much on the 'ghost' aspect directly but more on how the characters are dealing with this 'haunting' in their normal conversations.
In Murakami's ghost stories, the ghosts or the supernatural elements are not always clearly defined as in traditional ones. For instance, in his works, a 'ghost' could be a manifestation of a character's inner turmoil or a symbol of the alienation in modern society. It's more about the psychological exploration along with the supernatural feel.
Modern ghost stories can also use modern technology as part of the plot. In a traditional ghost story, it was mainly about seeing apparitions or hearing spooky noises. But in modern ones, we might have stories where ghosts interact with electronics. For instance, a modern ghost story could be about a ghost that messes with a person's smartphone, sending strange messages or causing the phone to glitch. Also, modern ghost stories tend to be more influenced by modern psychological concepts. People in modern stories might be more skeptical at first, and the fear often builds up as they try to find rational explanations that don't exist. In traditional stories, the existence of the ghost was more readily accepted.
Modern gothic ghost stories often incorporate modern technology. For example, ghosts might interact with modern devices like smartphones or security cameras. In contrast, traditional ones rarely had such elements. Also, modern stories may have more diverse characters in terms of race, gender, and sexual orientation.
Winter ghost stories often have a distinct atmosphere. The cold, long nights and often desolate landscapes add an extra layer of spookiness. In other ghost stories, the setting might be more varied. For example, a haunted house in summer may not have the same sense of isolation as a haunted house in the middle of a snow - covered winter. Also, winter is associated with death in many cultures, so the idea of ghosts seems more fitting.
Well, black ghost stories might be more rooted in certain cultural fears. Take the Black Shuck. It's related to the UK's rural and superstitious past. Other ghost stories could be more about lost love or unfinished business. But black ghost stories seem to focus more on the sinister side. They often have a stronger connection to death and the afterlife in a more menacing way. For instance, the way La Llorona is associated with the death of her children and her eternal punishment is a lot darker compared to some other more 'gentle' ghost stories.
Ghost Time Stories often involve a connection to a specific time or time period. Regular ghost stories might just be about a spooky apparition in a house. But Ghost Time Stories could be about a ghost that only appears at a certain time of day, like 3 am, or during a particular historical era. For example, a ghost that haunts a battlefield only on the anniversary of the battle.
13th ghost stories often incorporate the number 13, which is considered unlucky in many cultures. So they might be more focused on themes of bad luck and doom compared to other ghost stories.
One example could be 'The Puffy Chair'. It has elements of mumblecore with its naturalistic dialogue and indie feel, and there could be a sense of a 'ghost' in the form of unresolved relationship issues that haunt the characters, much like a traditional ghost might haunt a place.
Onryo ghost stories are different because the onryo is typically a very vengeful spirit. In other ghost stories, the ghosts might be more benign or just lost souls. For example, a traditional Western ghost might be a friendly apparition just trying to communicate, while an onryo is out for revenge. Also, onryo are often associated with specific cultural beliefs, like in Japanese culture, where there are particular superstitions and rituals related to them. This is different from more general Western ghost stories that don't have such specific cultural ties.
Adult ghost stories are often more complex in terms of themes. For example, they may deal with deeper psychological issues like guilt or trauma, while children's ghost stories are usually more straightforward about the scares. Also, adult ghost stories can have more nuanced characters. In a children's ghost story, the characters might be more one - dimensional, but in adult ones, the characters' inner lives are more fully explored.