Horror Fiction & Poetry
Edgar Allan Poe Web Quest
Open a doc. to put your answers in and give it a proper title with your name at the top.
SHARE ALL WORK WITH ME BY ATTACHING THIS DOC WHENEVER YOU ARE FULLY DONE EVERYTHING , PUT IT INTO A TEAMS CHAT MSG
Step 1: Go to http://poestories.com/ then on the left of the screen click on 'gallery' and choose one of the portraits. Make some deductions from what you see and tell me what kind of man Edgar Allan Poe was (minimum 3 sentences).
Step 2: Go to http://www.poemuseum.org/index.php and click on 'Poe's Life' and while you read the whole document take point-form notes listing each depressing thing that happens in his life (your point-form notes should only include the necessary pieces of info to describe what happened).
Step 3: Go to http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/person/death_play.asp and click along using the 'next' button - you will be asked to make a few choices along the way. Try to get to the bottom of how Poe died! In a paragraph which reveals deductive reasoning along with an excellent ability for quote embedding, answer how you believe Edgar Allan Poe died. (audio required). Next, to fill-in any gaps of your Poe knowledge watch ed.ted.com/featured/kpxLn1Hp
Step 4: Now that you are a bit more familiar with this author - go to http://poestories.com/stories.php and choose four poems and read them- simply to build some awareness of his style. Choose one of these four poems to anaylze and write answers for the following questions: (a) What is the theme? (b) How did Poe infuse a dark atmosphere into this poem? (c) What part do you find most interesting? (embed a quote in this answer) (d) What part is most disturbing? Why?
Step 5: Watch the 10 min. video for The Tell-Tale Heart at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpEIMERxgi4&feature=related and write down what you think the meaning of the title is.
Step 6: Choose another video version of The Tell-Tale Heart and compare and contrast the two video versions in 1-2 paragraphs. Try to incorporate analysis which uses some of our literary devices (especially those connected to film which we looked at for Life is Beautiful)
Step 7: Then read The Tell-Tale Heart at (http://poestories.com/read/telltaleheart) and then logically argue, make insightful comments, or in general agree or disagree with reason on one of the topics in the forum below - under 'Edgar Allan Poe' (quote the text whenever possible):
Open a doc. to put your answers in and give it a proper title with your name at the top.
SHARE ALL WORK WITH ME BY ATTACHING THIS DOC WHENEVER YOU ARE FULLY DONE EVERYTHING , PUT IT INTO A TEAMS CHAT MSG
Step 1: Go to http://poestories.com/ then on the left of the screen click on 'gallery' and choose one of the portraits. Make some deductions from what you see and tell me what kind of man Edgar Allan Poe was (minimum 3 sentences).
Step 2: Go to http://www.poemuseum.org/index.php and click on 'Poe's Life' and while you read the whole document take point-form notes listing each depressing thing that happens in his life (your point-form notes should only include the necessary pieces of info to describe what happened).
Step 3: Go to http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/person/death_play.asp and click along using the 'next' button - you will be asked to make a few choices along the way. Try to get to the bottom of how Poe died! In a paragraph which reveals deductive reasoning along with an excellent ability for quote embedding, answer how you believe Edgar Allan Poe died. (audio required). Next, to fill-in any gaps of your Poe knowledge watch ed.ted.com/featured/kpxLn1Hp
Step 4: Now that you are a bit more familiar with this author - go to http://poestories.com/stories.php and choose four poems and read them- simply to build some awareness of his style. Choose one of these four poems to anaylze and write answers for the following questions: (a) What is the theme? (b) How did Poe infuse a dark atmosphere into this poem? (c) What part do you find most interesting? (embed a quote in this answer) (d) What part is most disturbing? Why?
Step 5: Watch the 10 min. video for The Tell-Tale Heart at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpEIMERxgi4&feature=related and write down what you think the meaning of the title is.
Step 6: Choose another video version of The Tell-Tale Heart and compare and contrast the two video versions in 1-2 paragraphs. Try to incorporate analysis which uses some of our literary devices (especially those connected to film which we looked at for Life is Beautiful)
Step 7: Then read The Tell-Tale Heart at (http://poestories.com/read/telltaleheart) and then logically argue, make insightful comments, or in general agree or disagree with reason on one of the topics in the forum below - under 'Edgar Allan Poe' (quote the text whenever possible):
Step 8: Read Poe's poem - Annabel Lee at http://poestories.com/read/annabellee in order to continue to inform your opinion of this writer. Write one-paragraph about you general opinion of this piece.
Step 9: 'The Raven' - read the following analysis excerpt:
Symbols
"In this poem, one of the most famous American poems ever, Poe uses several symbols to take the poem to a higher level. The most obvious symbol is, of course, the raven itself. When Poe had decided to use a refrain that repeated the word "nevermore," he found that it would be most effective if he used a non-reasoning creature to utter the word. It would make little sense to use a human, since the human could reason to answer the questions (Poe, 1850). In "The Raven" it is important that the answers to the questions are already known, to illustrate the self-torture to which the narrator exposes himself. This way of interpreting signs that do not bear a real meaning, is "one of the most profound impulses of human nature"" (Quinn, 1998:441).
Now, listen to the reading at this link, then use this link to document what one of the stanzas mean - directions are at the top of the google doc. When done all this, check out The Simpsons version, just for fun :)
Step 10: Final Written Piece - Quoth the teacher, “WRITE LIKE POE!”
Purpose: To practice writing in the style of Edgar Allan Poe, who was a most creative and creepy writer. Can you capture his special brand of horror and emotion in your own writing?
Format Requirements at a glance:
Directions: We’ve read some poetry and prose from the eminent mystery writer, Edgar Allan Poe, whose life and death were also quite mysterious. You will write a short, short tale (as a poem or short piece of fiction) of horror, depression, mystery, crime, crazy visions, and/or lost love. It must have a clear beginning, middle, and ending. It must be written in the style of our friend Edgar and so have one uniform emotion throughout the written piece.
If you choose poetry, your poem should have strong rhythm, rhyme, and repetition like Poe’s poetry. The poem should be fat and not thin in terms of length of stanzas. (See “The Raven” as a guide to rhythm, rhyme, and structure.) It must have rich language, intense emotion, and creative imagery. Lastly, include appropriate diction/word choice!
If you choose prose, it must be a short, short tale of horror (think of “Tell-Tale Heart”). It must have strong rhythm, rhyme, and repetition like Poe, as well as rich language, intense emotion, suspense and creative imagery. Lastly, include appropriate diction/word choice!
Please note: One goal of this assignment is to share these poems and stories of horror and emotion in a kind of ghost-story style, so you will be urged to have your poem posted on our class website.
WANT AN EXTRA CHALLENGE FOR YOUR POE WRITING?
Step 9: 'The Raven' - read the following analysis excerpt:
Symbols
"In this poem, one of the most famous American poems ever, Poe uses several symbols to take the poem to a higher level. The most obvious symbol is, of course, the raven itself. When Poe had decided to use a refrain that repeated the word "nevermore," he found that it would be most effective if he used a non-reasoning creature to utter the word. It would make little sense to use a human, since the human could reason to answer the questions (Poe, 1850). In "The Raven" it is important that the answers to the questions are already known, to illustrate the self-torture to which the narrator exposes himself. This way of interpreting signs that do not bear a real meaning, is "one of the most profound impulses of human nature"" (Quinn, 1998:441).
Now, listen to the reading at this link, then use this link to document what one of the stanzas mean - directions are at the top of the google doc. When done all this, check out The Simpsons version, just for fun :)
Step 10: Final Written Piece - Quoth the teacher, “WRITE LIKE POE!”
Purpose: To practice writing in the style of Edgar Allan Poe, who was a most creative and creepy writer. Can you capture his special brand of horror and emotion in your own writing?
Format Requirements at a glance:
- Original title
- One full page
- 2.0 spacing
- 12 point font
- Times New Roman
- Normal margins
- Full and correct heading (you may choose the title)
- Hand-in the full package: brainstorm sheet, rough copy/copies, final written piece
Directions: We’ve read some poetry and prose from the eminent mystery writer, Edgar Allan Poe, whose life and death were also quite mysterious. You will write a short, short tale (as a poem or short piece of fiction) of horror, depression, mystery, crime, crazy visions, and/or lost love. It must have a clear beginning, middle, and ending. It must be written in the style of our friend Edgar and so have one uniform emotion throughout the written piece.
If you choose poetry, your poem should have strong rhythm, rhyme, and repetition like Poe’s poetry. The poem should be fat and not thin in terms of length of stanzas. (See “The Raven” as a guide to rhythm, rhyme, and structure.) It must have rich language, intense emotion, and creative imagery. Lastly, include appropriate diction/word choice!
If you choose prose, it must be a short, short tale of horror (think of “Tell-Tale Heart”). It must have strong rhythm, rhyme, and repetition like Poe, as well as rich language, intense emotion, suspense and creative imagery. Lastly, include appropriate diction/word choice!
Please note: One goal of this assignment is to share these poems and stories of horror and emotion in a kind of ghost-story style, so you will be urged to have your poem posted on our class website.
WANT AN EXTRA CHALLENGE FOR YOUR POE WRITING?
- Try to integrate/include Greek mythology like Poe did
- Use great Old English words here and there