"Ghosts and Apparitions." The Mystery Library: Haunted Houses. Patricia D. Netzley. United States of America: Lucent Books, Inc., 2000. 13-29. Print.
When referring to ghosts, many people do not understand that there is a distinct difference between a ghost and an apparition. A ghost is always a representation of an object that ceases to exist or a person who has died. Also, a ghost can appear for years. An apparitions is a figure or image of a place, person, or thing that is seen as solid but is not really there. In comparison to ghosts, apparitions are only seen for a short period of time. There are different types of apparitions, as well. One common type of apparition is called a crisis apparition. This is an image of a person who is about to die or just had passes, and it usually only occurs one time to a person who has a close relationship with the person passing. Another type of distinction between ghosts and apparitions, is how, or if, they communicate. Apparitions seem to know that they can be seen by the living, are aware of their surrounding, and tend to communicate. They usually have a purpose for communicating with that specific person, such as giving a warning or revealing something hidden. After their message is given, the apparition will vanish forever. Ghosts, however, appear to be oblivious to those watching them and rarely communicate at all. Thirdly, while apparitions can be seen anywhere that the person intended to see it is, ghosts usually have a close tie with the place they appear. Many ghosts haunt the place they died. For example, Westover Plantation in Virginia has been the sit of numerous deaths, from suicides to fatal accidents. Each spirit haunts the area where he or she died. Other ghosts may linger in other places closely related to them while living, such as where they may have worked. Ghosts and apparitions, however, claim to have been caught on photographs. The first reported spirit photograph was taken in 1862. After this picture was taken, many more of the same started to show up. A lot of people were accused of being frauds by creating a ghostly image in the film by using a technique called double exposure. Other pictures that seem to have a ghost in them can be explained. However, there are pictures that remain a mystery as to how something ghost-like appeared while the environment the picture was taken in could not, in any way, have affected something like that to show up on film According to Hans Holzer, "We still don't know all of the conditions that make these extraordinary photographs possible and, until we do, obtaining them will be a hit-and-miss affair at best" (Ghosts 24-25). Lastly, imaginations and telepathy are often theories to why ghosts and apparitions claim to be seen. Parapsychologists believe that any apparition of ghost being seen, is simply created by the experient, or person seeing the ghost. Other theories include a deceased person's spirit either sending and image telepathically or leaving one behind for living person to see. For example, former deceased house owners may leave behind images that future owners see of experience themselves. Such distinctions make clear whether someone is seeing a ghost, an apparition, or is intended to receive some sort of message.
This article was very beneficial to my research project overall. Not only did the author provide researched example of the different things she was explaining, but she also included quites from respectable professional. I never understood the difference between apparitions and ghosts, but now i am able to clearly see the contrast between the two. Now, when i watch ghost shows or read stories, I will definitely have a better understanding of what they may be seeing. Also, when the book mentioned such things as certain houses obtaining telepathic messages or images left by the deceased for future owners, I knew exactly what it was talking about. Stories such as The Amityville Horror or The Haunting in Connecticut are both said to be based on true stories and contain ghosts that have a past with the house. These ghosts affect the current owners of the house by allowing them to see or feel certain things. Overall, I think this chapter was incredibly helpful and I do believe it swayed my opinion a little more towards ghosts being real.
When referring to ghosts, many people do not understand that there is a distinct difference between a ghost and an apparition. A ghost is always a representation of an object that ceases to exist or a person who has died. Also, a ghost can appear for years. An apparitions is a figure or image of a place, person, or thing that is seen as solid but is not really there. In comparison to ghosts, apparitions are only seen for a short period of time. There are different types of apparitions, as well. One common type of apparition is called a crisis apparition. This is an image of a person who is about to die or just had passes, and it usually only occurs one time to a person who has a close relationship with the person passing. Another type of distinction between ghosts and apparitions, is how, or if, they communicate. Apparitions seem to know that they can be seen by the living, are aware of their surrounding, and tend to communicate. They usually have a purpose for communicating with that specific person, such as giving a warning or revealing something hidden. After their message is given, the apparition will vanish forever. Ghosts, however, appear to be oblivious to those watching them and rarely communicate at all. Thirdly, while apparitions can be seen anywhere that the person intended to see it is, ghosts usually have a close tie with the place they appear. Many ghosts haunt the place they died. For example, Westover Plantation in Virginia has been the sit of numerous deaths, from suicides to fatal accidents. Each spirit haunts the area where he or she died. Other ghosts may linger in other places closely related to them while living, such as where they may have worked. Ghosts and apparitions, however, claim to have been caught on photographs. The first reported spirit photograph was taken in 1862. After this picture was taken, many more of the same started to show up. A lot of people were accused of being frauds by creating a ghostly image in the film by using a technique called double exposure. Other pictures that seem to have a ghost in them can be explained. However, there are pictures that remain a mystery as to how something ghost-like appeared while the environment the picture was taken in could not, in any way, have affected something like that to show up on film According to Hans Holzer, "We still don't know all of the conditions that make these extraordinary photographs possible and, until we do, obtaining them will be a hit-and-miss affair at best" (Ghosts 24-25). Lastly, imaginations and telepathy are often theories to why ghosts and apparitions claim to be seen. Parapsychologists believe that any apparition of ghost being seen, is simply created by the experient, or person seeing the ghost. Other theories include a deceased person's spirit either sending and image telepathically or leaving one behind for living person to see. For example, former deceased house owners may leave behind images that future owners see of experience themselves. Such distinctions make clear whether someone is seeing a ghost, an apparition, or is intended to receive some sort of message.
This article was very beneficial to my research project overall. Not only did the author provide researched example of the different things she was explaining, but she also included quites from respectable professional. I never understood the difference between apparitions and ghosts, but now i am able to clearly see the contrast between the two. Now, when i watch ghost shows or read stories, I will definitely have a better understanding of what they may be seeing. Also, when the book mentioned such things as certain houses obtaining telepathic messages or images left by the deceased for future owners, I knew exactly what it was talking about. Stories such as The Amityville Horror or The Haunting in Connecticut are both said to be based on true stories and contain ghosts that have a past with the house. These ghosts affect the current owners of the house by allowing them to see or feel certain things. Overall, I think this chapter was incredibly helpful and I do believe it swayed my opinion a little more towards ghosts being real.
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