Ghosts appear all over the world. Some say they exist and some say they don't. It’s all a matter of opinion. Ghosts are mentioned in all kinds of things like religions, movies, books, and TV shows. They’re still a mystery today. No one really knows if they even exist or not.
One of the major types of ghosts,that most people know about even if not by name, is an Apparition. They just appear and don't do anything but maybe move. They can't move things. They are the basic, “Oh no, a Spooky Ghost!” They aren’t dangerous at all. They are only beings of energy.
A Doppelganger ghost should be obvious. The ghost takes the form of who they’re haunting. A major problem would be that they could use a mirror to scare you. Just getting ready in the morning then BAM ghost in your face. They aren't dangerous, but it wouldn't be fun to see an exact replica of yourself just there. It would be pretty terrifying.
Poltergeists are a bit more dangerous however. Partially because they’re invisible. The way they get your attention, however, couldn’t be more obvious. They make loud noises and, if that hadn’t already caught your attention, they start throwing things around. That’s where the danger comes in.
This one is more of a synonym, but it was too cute to leave out. In dutch, a synonym for a Ghost is a Spook. If you, “OH NO, A SPOOK’S IN MY HOUSE!” You can’t help but smile a little.
Wraiths are another type of ghost, but it’s a bit odd. The origins of the wraith are unknown, and depending on where you look, they mean different things. In some places, they’re sort of Guardian Spirits to those around them. In others, they’re an omen of death. Let’s just hope that if you see one, it’s not the latter.
Though this should be obvious, one fact about ghosts is that they’re the “energy” or “Soul” of a deceased human. They can be animals, but that is extremely rare. They just can’t move on to the “Afterlife” because of some strong attachment to someone or something, possibly trying to clear up unfinished business. For example, if someone were to die with someone owing them money, they might come back to haunt the person who's in debt to them. Another example would be the “Ghost” of Hamlet’s father being kept on earth by the fact he was murdered, and wants revenge. He just chooses to talk to Hamlet because he trusts him the most. The ghost of Hamlet's father would be an example of an Apparition. He can only scare by looks, he can't move things like a poltergiest. Most ghosts appear to what they looked like when they were alive, either an outfit they wore a lot, or what they looked like when they died. That is, if they show themselves at all. Some of the time, a ghost doesn’t even know that they’re dead. This may be what holds a ghost to the real world. Most paranormal specialists believe that ghosts live in another dimension after they have finished up their last business. 3AM is said to be the easiest time for Ghosts to pass over from the spirit world to the real world. Unlike how they’re shown in movies, they aren’t really a threat.
Many people have different ideals on ghosts and spirits. Some have come up with some interesting theories about them too. A little thing in my (Jilliyn') family is that we believe that the white butterflies that you see are spirits coming to visit you. The reason this all started was when I was younger, I was riding my bicycle and one of those little white butterflies landed right on my hand and I looked at it and said, "Hi Papaw." He had passed away recently at that time. That's why it was such a big moment for my family. Ever since that day butterflies have always been important to us. Another belief that many people believe is that children see ghosts that us teenagers and adults cannot. An example is my (Jilliyn') little brother kept mentioning our grandpa. He was three at the time and our Grandpa Dave had passed away when he was only a year old. After he passed, we never talked about him much. So out of the blue my little brother starts talking about stories and things that Grandpa Dave had told him. He would talk the world of him. It was very interesting to me. So we strongly believe that ghosts do actually exist.
*All art is done by Jilliyn Dye*
Excellent post, and I LOVE the idea of white butterflies representing spirits in your family. This could be a very interesting discussion in class: The existence of ghosts, and if we believe in an afterlife. Hamlet claims most people endure a terrible life simply because they are fearful of an ambiguous afterlife. I wonder if this is still true.
ReplyDeleteYour post has inspired me to show your class an indie film I watched recently, called "Ghost Story". The director has a unique view of how a departed spirit spends the afterlife, and how they are able to free their spirits from a similar purgatory experienced by Hamlet's father.