Introduction to O. Henry's Ghost and Spirit Writing

O. Henry in his later years

One of the biggest mysteries that a human can face during their lifetime actually has nothing to do with their life at all, but rather their death. What happens when we die and how can we find an answer? Some people turn to religion or other systems of belief in order to explain possible answers, but no one truly knows for sure, which can be intimidating to think about while still on Earth.

Throughout history, humans have attempted to contact the dead in order to find more concrete answers as to what will happen to them when it is time to pass on. One of the more modern tools to do this came from the Ouija Board, which opened the door into the afterlife to answer even more questions than the obvious ones. As the Board's popularity grew, so did the number of ways it could be used, and this lead to the creation of automatic, or spirit writing. This writing allowed writers to channel the afterlife and "write" based on what they were told from the spirit they were in contact with via the Ouija Board.

One of the most well-known cases of spirit writing comes from My Tussle With the Devil  by O. Henry's Ghost, written via Ouija Board by Albert Houghton Pratt. The book is claimed to be completely by O. Henry's Ghost, where he was able to give insight into the afterlife and what has happened to him since he left the physical world. This gives way to exploring more into spirit writing, and why it is important in the grand scheme of understanding the afterlife. This text also opens up more questions, such as: who is interested in contacting the dead, and are these communications reliable? What can those of us living on Earth learn from those who have already passed on? And how would the writing style of famous author, O. Henry, change from his time alive to a year after he has died?

The use of the Ouija Board in order to answer these questions is also something worth exploring, because this new technology opened up a door to an entirely new world (literally). Instead of relying on older or religious methods to contact the dead, this tool worked as a way for mutliple people to "speak" to a spirit, using actual numbers, letters, and words. Ouija Boards also gave a voice to those who could no longer communicate in the physical world, allowing these people to convey some of their last messages. Even those like O. Henry had something more they wanted to say, and while his message was unique as it was an entire book of short stories, spirit writing and the Ouija Board gave him the chance to continue his legacy after his death.