haunted short stories

They often have a sense of unease from the start. For example, in 'The Fall of the House of Usher' by Edgar Allan Poe, the description of the decaying mansion sets a spooky mood right away.

Fear of the past is a big theme. Haunted short stories often involve characters being haunted by events or people from their past. There's also the theme of isolation. In stories like 'The Yellow Wallpaper', the woman is isolated and this makes her more vulnerable to the 'haunting'. And death is a prevalent theme too. The idea of the dead coming back to haunt the living is quite common.

Well, in haunted house fiction short stories, the setting is crucial. A haunted house might be isolated in a desolate area, adding to the sense of dread. These stories often play on our primal fears. For example, a character might hear strange noises at night, and as they explore, they discover dark secrets about the house's past, like a tragic event that left restless spirits.

These stories might also comment on human nature or society through the lens of the haunted house and related elements. The settings and symbols play crucial roles in conveying the intended messages.

One common element is the presence of a tragic past. For example, a student or teacher might have died in a terrible accident or been murdered on the school grounds. Another is the use of spooky locations within the school, like the attic, basement, or an abandoned classroom. Ghostly apparitions are also common, such as seeing a figure in a school uniform wandering the halls at night.

Another great one is 'The Monkey's Paw' by W.W. Jacobs. It's about a family who comes into possession of a magical monkey's paw that grants wishes but with a horrible cost. Every wish they make has unforeseen and terrifying consequences, which makes it a really suspenseful read.

One famous haunted short story is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' by Edgar Allan Poe. It's about a narrator who is haunted by the old man's vulture - like eye and his own guilt after murdering the old man. Another is 'The Monkey's Paw' where a family gets a cursed monkey's paw that brings them misfortune when they make wishes.

Well, mystery is a big theme. The haunted house always has secrets that the characters are trying to uncover. Take 'The Canterville Ghost', the family has to figure out why the ghost is there and what it wants. Fear is also a common theme. The characters experience intense fear in these haunted houses, like in 'The Shunned House' where the very presence of the house instills dread. And then there's the theme of decay, both physical, as in the crumbling mansions in stories like 'The Fall of the House of Usher', and moral decay that often seems to be associated with the haunted houses.

Strange and otherworldly characters are also often present. These can be ghosts, witches, or some sort of undead creatures. In 'The Nightmare Before Christmas', Jack Skellington, who is a skeleton from Halloween Town, is a prime example of such a character. He adds to the haunted feel of the story.

A typical plot could be a family moving into a new house that turns out to be haunted. They start experiencing strange phenomena, and they either try to flee or face the spirits.