The Graveyard Book

by

Neil Gaiman

The Ghost (Bod’s Biological Mother) Character Analysis

The ghost refers to the recently deceased ghost of Bod’s biological mother. Since she’s recently dead, she looks different from the other ghosts—she’s insubstantial and looks like television static. Upon her death, she does everything she can to beg the graveyard’s residents to protect baby Bod. Because ghosts live where their bodies are interred (and the graveyard isn’t accepting new burials), she won’t be able to return and care for Bod herself.
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The Ghost (Bod’s Biological Mother) Character Timeline in The Graveyard Book

The timeline below shows where the character The Ghost (Bod’s Biological Mother) appears in The Graveyard Book. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
Parents and Guardians Theme Icon
Life and Death Theme Icon
Even though he’s a ghost himself and has been dead for several hundred years, Mr. Owens’s mouth drops open when... (full context)
Community, Identity, and Coming of Age Theme Icon
Parents and Guardians Theme Icon
...Owens if the baby has a name. She wasn’t able to learn anything from the ghost of the baby’s mother, but Silas says a new name will protect the baby. Several... (full context)