Requirements for the Poe Unit
Choose one of these topics.
(There are seven choices below.) You will develop the topic into a 600 – 800 word essay that thoroughly
explains your analysis.
·
The piece
is due Tuesday, November 12.
·
Typed, Times New Roman size 12
·
Single-spaced
·
Name and section in the header
·
Give it a title… even if it is lame
·
You will be scored mostly on your analysis, but
your grammar and organization count. I
should not have to guess what you are trying to say.
·
You should use MANY examples from the text to
prove your position.
·
Use proper punctuation for quotes:
o
In the story The
Tell Tale Heart, the narrator said, “I loved the old man.”
§
Notice the commas and the quotes. End
punctuation goes inside the quote unless the sentence is a question and the
quote is not. That is the ONLY time the end
punctuation goes outside the quotes.
Writing Topics for the Poe Unit
The Tell Tale Heart
- Discuss the reliability of the narrator. Should we trust him? What effect does this choice of narrator have on the telling of the story? We see the story from the narrator’s point of view. Discuss the dramatic irony found in the story. Compare what he believes about himself compared to what we know about him.
The Cask of
Amontillado
- By now you are starting to get a feel for Poe’s writing style. How would you explain his writing style to someone who has never read him before? Be sure to discuss his use of many of the following: Mood, Tone, Visualization, Figurative Language, Sentence Structure, Vocabulary, Dialogue, Choice of Topic, Setting, Plot Structure, Foreshadowing, and Suspense.
The Pit and the
Pendulum
1. Many
short-story writers in America in the nineteenth century said that they wanted
to write a story that seemed like a dream or a nightmare. Show how “The Pit and
the Pendulum” is such a story.
2. In
some very basic ways, the situation of the narrator in the story suggests that
it is a universal human dilemma and that he is a figure representing everyman.
Explain how this allegorical reading of the story can be supported.
3. Although
the story deals with a horrifying dilemma and makes use of violent actions, it
does not seem as shocking as many horror films today. Why not?
4. There
is only one character in this story, and all we know about him directly is that
he is caught in a horrifying dilemma. Describe what we can infer about his
personality from his behavior; discuss how he attempts to cope with his
situation.
5. How
would you characterize the kinds of fears and anxieties that the protagonist
faces? In what ways are they like fears and anxieties that all of us have?
