Thursday, May 30, 2013

Imagine that you are Canterville ghost. Describe the Otis family as you see them.

Cool question.  I am not allowed to write it out word for word for you though.  I will try and steer you in the right direction though.  Based on how I read the writing prompt, it sounds like you need to write about your initial impressions about the Otis family.  Obviously Sir Simon's opinions of the Otis family change as the story progresses.  He actually gets more and more frightened and frustrated with the family as the story goes on.  


However, in the beginning of the story, Sir Simon is likely overconfident in his ability to scare off the Otis family.  He has a right to be confident as well.  He has been successfully scaring off owners of the Canterville chase for hundreds of years.  


I would focus your description on things that you know for sure about the Otis family early on.  They are a married husband and wife.  There are three children.  I would focus on the children.  The twins and Virginia are your way in to scaring the family.  Kids should be easy to scare.  Twin young boys should make you lick your lips with anticipation at how easy this is going to be.  Virginia should be making you think that your job will be easy as well.  She's a 15 year old girl, which means she is likely an emotional roller coaster that probably has daddy wrapped around her finger.  I would also have something in your description about how the Otis family appears to be quite overconfident.  Perhaps even stupid or naive.  The reason for that is because they have been told about the presence of the ghost, but they completely blow it off.  Lastly, I would mention that they are American. 



When Mr. Hiram B. Otis, the American Minister, bought Canterville Chase, every one told him he was doing a very foolish thing, as there was no doubt at all that the place was haunted. . . "But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, and I guess the laws of Nature are not going to be suspended for the British aristocracy."


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