This article initially appeared in a print issue of the Monitor published 31 Oct. 2025.
It’s officially the end of October which means the spooky season is upon us. Street decor is littered with witches, ghouls and, of course, ghosts, but this is all just decoration… right? There has been a prolonged debate throughout history about whether ghosts exist or are simply figments of people’s imagination. Ancient texts suggest that ghost stories have been told since the time of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, where there was a belief that spirits lived after death and moved on to the afterlife. In Greece and Rome there are letters that suggest some people believed in ghosts as spirits that stayed in their resting place after death.
Moving to the present day, society typically understands ghosts through pop culture references. Movies, such as “The Conjuring” and “Beetlejuice”, depict ghosts as spirits that either have unfinished business or are seeking revenge. The plots of these stories follow the same general message, where ghosts are something that should be continuously feared. However, I believe the historical examples of ghosts are more accurate to what these spirits, if they do indeed surround us, are like.
I have mixed feelings about ghosts. If ghosts do indeed exist, my idea of them doesn’t necessarily align with the pop-culture ghost. I would hope that they more resemble spirits of past loved ones looking over their living relatives. A few religions, such as Christianity, see ghosts as almost a guide throughout everyday life. In Christianity the Holy Ghost is meant to steer people down the path of righteousness and lead them out of the dark. I think this image of spirits and ghosts is beautiful because it depicts them as guides and caregivers. There are passed members of my family that I miss, and there is something comforting about the idea of them looking over me in spirit. This, to me, paints a more realistic picture of what ghosts are meant to be: spirits who protect and guide the living.
Now, this description of ghosts probably isn’t what you were thinking when you decided to break out your jack-o-lanterns and costumes, but I feel it gives meaning behind the symbol we see so often around Halloween. The idea of a ghost doesn’t have to be an image that strikes fear into kids and horror movie fans alike; instead it can be a reminder of loved ones lost. The Day of the Dead, or Dia De Los Muertos, is a holiday celebrated across Latin America where the living reunite with the dead. Through offerings and decorated altars, family members can encourage those who have passed to come visit them in the land of the living. This belief that spirits come back and can see their loved ones, even for just a night, is a twist on how modern horror culture views spirits.
At the end of the day, I don’t know if ghosts are real and I don’t think I’ll ever truly find out. However, what I do know is that if ghosts are more like our loved ones and less likeThe Conjuring’s Bathsheba, it makes my Halloween a little less terrifying.