Summary: The Canterville Ghost | New Pathways Class 6: Book Solutions, Summaries & Worksheets PDF Download

Summary

In the story of "The Canterville Ghost," we meet a family from America, the Otises, who decide to buy Canterville Castle despite warnings that it's haunted. The former owner, Lord Canterville, tries to dissuade them, but Mr Otis is confident that ghosts don't exist in America.

As the Otis family moves into the castle, strange things start happening. The butler, James, faints twice from fright. The twins, Lewis and Clark, play tricks on Sir Simon, the ghost, like throwing pillows at him. The Otises don't believe in ghosts and try to charge Sir Simon rent for living in his own home.

Sir Simon, the ghost, is upset with the family's lack of fear and their attempts to play pranks on him. The Otis twins even set up a plan to catch him. However, their actions only make Sir Simon more determined to scare them away.

Despite the family's skepticism, Sir Simon's ghostly activities continue. The Otises eventually come up with a plan to evict the ghost, involving rent bills and scarecrows. The twins successfully scare Sir Simon away, thinking they've won.

Later, the focus shifts to Virginia, the Otis daughter, who shows kindness to Sir Simon. She learns about his troubled past, his lonely existence, and helps him find peace. In the end, Sir Simon gives her a box of jewels as a gesture of gratitude.

The story concludes with the Otis family realizing the stain on the rug has turned blue, indicating that Sir Simon is finally at peace. Virginia shares the jewels with her family, showing that kindness can bring about positive change even with ghosts.

Difficult Words and Meanings

• Haunted: (adjective) visited by ghosts or spirits.
• Abandoned: (verb) left behind or deserted.
• Replenish: (verb) to fill or make complete again.
• Ghastly: (adjective) causing great horror or fear; terrifying.
• Evict: (verb) to force someone to leave a place.
• Repent: (verb) to feel regret or remorse for one's sins.
• Redemption: (noun) the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.
• Compassionate: (adjective) showing kindness and concern for others.
• Skepticism: (noun) a skeptical attitude; doubt as to the truth of something.
• Gesture: (noun) a movement or action that expresses feeling or intention.