[HPforGrownups] Poltergeist vs. Ghost (was 20 ghosts)

yellows at aol.com yellows at aol.com
Thu May 29 21:41:42 UTC 2003


No: HPFGUIDX 58916

In a message dated 5/29/2003 4:56:58 PM Eastern Standard Time, Kelly 
Grosskreutz writes:

<<Going on a side tangent from this.  We know that Peeves has the ability to> 
> 
> affect matter (throwing things, etc), but we chalk that up to him being a
> poltergeist.  But what about Moaning Myrtle?  She is a ghost, but yet she
> has the ability to displace water when she dives into her toilet.  She is
> known for causing flood after flood in that bathroom.  Binns, if I'm
> recalling it correctly, can write on the chalkboard with chalk.  So what, in
> this setting, sets a ghost apart from a poltergeist?>>

Well, let's see. I was of the impression that a poltergeist isn't the spirit 
of someone who has died, but instead a spectre with no other past, who just 
likes to cause mischief. Let me check a handy dictionary, though.  :)

Okay, in the interest of time, I've just gone to <A HREF="www.dictionary.com">www.dictionary.com</A> and 
looked up both poltergeist and ghost. A dictionary outside the virtual world may 
provide something better. 

"Poltergeist" gives a brief definition using the word ghost, which explains 
(my paraphrase) that it is a ghost that makes a rapping sound or causes 
disorder. "Ghost" says what you would expect, (my paraphrase again), that it's the 
spirit of a dead person, haunting various locations.

But I do feel that ghosts and poltergeists are different things, especially 
within the Harry Potter books. Peeves is clearly set apart from the other 
ghosts of the castle.

Brief Chronicles


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






More information about the HPforGrownups archive