A Shady Plot by Elsie Brown Summary & Explanation CBSE CLASS 10 Video Lecture

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a shady plot is written by American
writer LZ Brown
one of the most interesting elements in
the story is the reader board a we do
board or a talking board is used to
communicate with spirits or ghosts
a Ouija board has the letters of the
alphabet numbers from 0 to 9 and various
signs on it participants place their
fingers on a small wooden pointer it is
believed that the spirits or ghosts move
this pointer around the board and
participants can spell out the words to
get their message
the Ouija board is the central element
in this humorous ghost story
here's a brief summary of the story a
shady plot by LZ Brown gone Halleck is
commissioned to write a ghost story for
his friend jenkins magazine
in the past Halleck could always come up
with ideas for his ghost stories
this time however his mind is completely
blank
as he is sitting at his desk a voice
speaks from the other end of the room in
the dark
Haluk sees something taking shape
a ghost named Helen introduces herself
and says she belongs to the writers
inspiration bureau
the ghosts from the Bureau inspire
writers like Halleck and give them ideas
for various stories but now the ghosts
are on strike they are fed up of being
summoned by Ouija boards and having to
answer silly questions Helen wants
Halleck to persuade his friends to stop
using Ouija boards
just then hallux wife Lavinia appears
with the Ouija board he tries to
convince her to get rid of the board but
she refuses later
Lavinia throws a Ouija board party for
her friends she coerces Halleck to pair
up with her friend Laura Hinkle trouble
Brews when the ghost helen spells out t
are a I P o are on the Ouija board and
then names
John Halleck
Laura asked who is giving the message
helen gives her name
Laure informs Lavinia about this
incident
meanwhile the gorse play havoc and every
Ouija board in the room spells out
hallux name Lavinia misunderstands this
incident and is upset with Halleck the
next day Lavinia writes a note informing
Halleck that she is leaving him
when Helen appears Halleck blames her
for his miseries
Lavinia comes to bid goodbye
Halleck tries to prevent her from seeing
the ghost Helen just then they cook glad
alia informs them that she will be
leaving because she does not like Ouija
boards
Lavinia promptly decides to burn the
Ouija board
Lavinia then sees the ghost
she is relieved Lavinia had been jealous
because she has thought the ghost Helen
was the beautiful Helen of Troy
the ghost leaves because her purpose is
achieved
the Ouija board is destroyed
all's well that ends well
Halleck and his wife are happy together
Helen and glad awliya are appeased
and Halleck has got an idea for his new
ghost story
you
John Halleck then the writer of the
story is a struggling writer who only
gets offers to write for his friends
magazine he works as an accountant to
meet his household expenses Halleck is
dominated by his wife for example he
does not approve of Ouija boards yet at
his wife's bidding he attends the Ouija
board party
Halleck cares for his wife he tries to
prevent her from seeing Helens ghost
because she is too sensitive when she
threatens to leave him he is upset
hallux wife Lavinia enjoys shopping and
get swayed by every new trend her latest
acquisition is a Ouija board when her
husband asks her to give it up she
refuses Lavinia is suspicious when the
ghost Helen spells out her husband's
name she assumes that the ghost is the
Helen of Troy and decides to leave the
house she is satisfied only after she
sees the ghost and realizes that the
ghost is not the Helen of Troy
helen is not the tip
scary ghosts she is kind she was a
writer in her past life and so she
empathizes with other writers she's a
part of the writers inspiration Bureau
which provides ideas to struggling
writers helen is firm that she will not
help Halleck until he persuades his
friends to stop using Ouija boards she
accuses Halleck of being a traitor
when he participates in the Ouija board
party helen is also true to her word
after Halleck volunteers to destroy the
Ouija board she keeps her promise and
helps him get an idea for his new ghost
story
Laura Hinkle is lavinius book club
friend she behaves coyly with John
Halleck during the Ouija board party
once Halleck is accused of being a
traitor by Helens ghost she promptly and
loudly informs Lavinia about the same
she is thrilled at the trouble that is
created between Halleck and Lavinia
a shady plot is a humorous ghost story
written in the first person the story
presents ghosts in a lighter vein the
idea of ghosts founding a writer's
inspiration bureau being assigned cases
and filing reports is extremely amusing
ghosts as Helen says prefer to do a
little haunting when they have nothing
to amuse themselves with they do not
like being called out of their beds to
answer silly questions
therefore ghosts do not approve the use
of the Ouija boards the story suggests
that indulging in activity is like the
Ouija board serve little purpose at a
deeper level the story serves as a
gentle reminder to steer clear of
following fads for the novelty value
Alec's wife Lavinia finds any new fad
thrilling summoning spirits through the
Ouija board has now taken her fancy she
refuses to listen to her husband's point
of view and does not get rid of the
board however when the cook threatens to
leave because she does not like Ouija
boards Lavinia decides to use the board
for kindling wood the reader then
wonders if this was a case of much ado
about nothing
the writers choice of words paints a
vivid picture in the mind
for example John describes Helen as a
horrible scarecrow and missing girl as a
flirtatious crocodile the writer also
uses a pun
when Halleck tells his wife that the
affair was quite aboveboard
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