Plot
Exposition: Lucy Beck had just graduated from Belmont Secretarial College and was searching for a job. She is tired of being poor and determined to improve her life.
Rising action: She was so happy to get a job at Ross and Banister’s firm as a secretary that she told her mom in the kitchen of her house. However, she had been warned by the handyman of the firm to be careful in her work, but Lucy had no idea what the old man was talking about.
Climax: She finally found out what the old man or Mr. Henry Darke tried to tell her on the first day of her job as she had been teased by the spirit of the typewriter. She was so surprised and scared at the same time that the letters that she was typing had been interfered by the word QWERTYUIOP all over the letter.
Falling action: She discovered the truth from Mr. Darke herself and understand why the spirit was haunting the typewriter all this time. Miss Broome was her name and she was the former secretary and had served the firm for forty-years. Lucy knew that she need to get rid of the spirit of Miss Broome immediately or else it will affect her job entirely
Resolution: She finally had a conversation with Miss Broome using the typewriter written on a paper telling her that her employer Mr. Banister had died many years ago, and thus she must also go off because she got no one else to serve for. At the end, she folded the finished letter into a paper dart and sent it out of the window, off with the wind.
Point of View
3rd person of view
Setting
Time: The story most probably takes place in the early 20th century since the works were done by using typewriters, computers may not exist yet during that time.
Place:
1) Belmont Secretarial College
- The institution where Lucy Beck finished her study and becomes the secretary at Ross and Banister’s firm.
2) Lucy’s house
- the place where Lucy told her mother about her job and where she met her Uncle Bert.
3) Ross and Banister’s firm
- the place where Lucy works as secretary
Society: 20th century society
Character:
1) Lucy Beck
- A poor young girl who finally becomes a secretary in a firm called Ross and Banister’s and deals with a haunted typewriter in the early days of her carrier.
2) Harry Darke:
- Ross and Banister’s handyman who has worked for the company for so many years and has known of the spirit of Miss Broome whom has been haunting the typewriter for so long.
3) Mrs. Price
- A teacher at Belmont Secretarial College.
4) Mr. George Ross
- Owner of the firm- Ross and Banister’s
5) Uncle Bert
- Depends on her sister’s family for support which Lucy doesn’t like him at all as he is also a drunkard.
6) Miss Broome
- Former secretary of Ross and Banister’s firm.
- Dead and became the evil spirit that haunted the typewriter for years.
Theme:
1) Determination leads to success
- Lucy is determined to find herself a job to support her family financial as she comes from a poor family. Being tired of poor life, she ignores her fear of Miss Broome’s spirit and continues her work until it is done. Lucy finally succeeded in getting rid of Miss Broome’s spirit and become the one and only secretary in the firm.
2) Loyalty towards employer
- Miss Broome had been the secretary at Ross and Banister’s firm for forty-three years and still wanted to continue her service although she had been given her retirement.
3) Commitment is important in a profession
- Although Lucy has been teased and disturbed by Miss Broome’s spirit so many times, she is still committed to her work and finished all the work given on time.
