The Ghost by William Douglas O'Connor
QR code
"The Ghost" by William Douglas O'Connor is a Christmas story written in the late 19th century. The narrative unfolds in Beacon Hill, a wealthy neighborhood in Boston, focusing on Dr. Charles Renton, a physician with a stern demeanor. The story likely explores themes of compassion, regret, and moral awakening, particularly as Dr. Renton grapples with his inner conflicts and confronts the consequences of his actions on the lives of his tenants. At
the start of the tale, a ghostly figure is introduced, reportedly lingering at Dr. Renton's doorstep on a bitter Christmas Eve, seemingly waiting for him. As the story progresses, the physician struggles between his aloof nature and the encroaching moral implications tied to his treatment of a poor tenant family. The opening sets the stage for Dr. Renton's eventual transformation sparked by reflections on his past relationships and the singular message of kindness from a deceased friend that reverberates through his life choices. The ghost's presence hints at a deeper connection between the living and the dead, challenging Renton to acknowledge the struggles of those around him, specifically through a poignant encounter with his tenant, Mrs. Miller, whose situation reveals the urgent necessity for compassion in his otherwise transactional world. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | O'Connor, William Douglas, 1832-1889 |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Nast, Thomas, 1840-1902 |
| Title | The Ghost |
| Credits |
Produced by David Clarke, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 81.8 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Christmas stories |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 26779 |
| Release Date | Oct 5, 2008 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 324 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!