Ghosts and Urban Legends

Reality or fi

ction?

Harmful or

harmless?Good or evil?

What is a ghost?In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost  is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to realistic, lifelike visions. The deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as necromancy.

Haunted places

A haunted place is a house or other building often perceived

as being inhabited by disembodied spirits of the deceased who

may have been former residents or were familiar with the

property. Parapsychologists attribute haunting to the spirits of

the dead and the effect of violent or tragic events in the

building's past such as murder, accidental death,

or suicide ,More scientific explanations for the perception that a

house is haunte d include misinterpreting noises naturally

present in structures, waking dreams, suggestibility, and the

effect of toxic substances in environments that can cause

hallucinations.

The Tower of LondonHer Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. The ghost of Anne Boleyn, beheaded in 1536 for treason against Henry VIII, allegedly haunts the chapel of St Peter ad Vincula, where she is buried, and has been said to walk around the White Tower carrying her head under her arm.

Other haunted places in the United Kingdom

• Airfields around the country are said to have paranormal activity arising from the spirits of airmen who died in World War II.• Bochym Manor is residence to two ghosts, the short pink lady, and an unnamed ghost who stands at one of the bedroom windows.• 50 Berkeley Square is reputed to be the most haunted house in London.• The Black Lady of Bradley Woods is supposedly seen near Bradley, Lincolnshire.• Dartmouth, Devon, ancient maritime town has many modern and traditional ghost stories including (in its hinterland) some recently discovered spirits from the Bronze Age

Urban LegendsAn urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true. As with all folklore and mythology, the designation suggests nothing about the story's veracity, but merely that it is in circulation, exhibits variation over time, and carries some significance that motivates the community in preserving and propagating it.

Origins and structureThe term “urban legend,” as used

by folklorists, has appeared in print since at least 1968. Jan Harold Brunvand, professor of English at the University of Utah, introduced the term to the general public in a series of popular books published beginning in 1981

The Legend of Bloody MaryBloody Mary (in folklore), is a legendary ghost or

spirit conjured to reveal the future. She is said to appear in a mirror when her name is called multiple times. The Bloody Mary apparition may be benign or malevolent, depending on historic variations of the legend. The Bloody Mary appearances are mostly "witnessed" in teenage group participation games, often as part of a game of truth or dare.

Results of summoning Bloody

MaryBloody Mary allegedly appears as a corpse, a witch or a ghost;

sometimes covered in blood. The lore surrounding the ritual (if

she is summoned properly) states that participants may endure

the apparition screaming at them, cursing them, strangling

them, stealing their body or soul, drinking their blood, or

scratching their eyes out.

The Story of the ExpressionlessIn June of 1972, a woman appeared in Cedar Senai hospital in nothing but a white, blood-covered gown. Now this, in itself,

should not be too surprising as people often have accidents nearby and come to the nearest hospital for medical attention, but there were two things that caused people who saw her to vomit and flee in terror. The first being that she wasn't exactly human. she resembled something close to a mannequin, but had the dexterity and fluidity of a normal human being.

The legend of Slender ManThe Slender Man  is a creature or being with various nebulously defined characteristics and abilities. Slender Man was first mentioned in Something

Awful Forum's "Create Paranormal Images". Slender Man generally appears (in modern times) as a tall man in a black or grey suit, red or black tie, and white shirt, with no eyes, mouth, or clearly defined facial features. It has no hair, and generally has normal-looking bare hands. Slenderman typically is depicted in imagery and literature as between 6 and 15 feet tall, depending on the situation, and in video as around 6-7 feet tall.

The Slender Man “caught” in photos

The endProfesor coordonator: Haralambie Monica

Autor : Croitoru Victoras-Alexandru

Clasa a 12a - C

Colegiul National „Mihai Eminescu” Buzau