The Haunting - captures reader's attention using the character Barney

In the novel, The Haunting, the author Margaret Mahy captures the reader's imagaintion using the character, Barney. He captures the reader's imagination through the way she describes his personality which is shy and caring. Barney's feelings and emotions also captures your imagination as they are confused at first and then he gradually learns how to deal with the hauntings from the boy in the blue velvet suit. Barney captures the reader's imagination through his caring …

…experiences the first haunting from the little boy in the blue velvet suit. The ghost tells him Barnaby was dead and that he was going to be very lonely. When Barney hears this, he thinks the ghost was telling him that he was dead. When Barney gets home and Tabitha told him that their great-uncle Barnaby had died, Barney fainted. This incident captures the reader's attention as it is the climax and it's very interesting.