Looking at plotLooking at plot Prince Prospero and friends Prince Prospero and friends

attempt to escape death in his attempt to escape death in his castellated abbey (Cause)castellated abbey (Cause)

Death overtakes them all (Effect)Death overtakes them all (Effect)

Theme:Theme:

"And darkness and decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all"

SymbolismSymbolism The The sevenseven rooms: rooms:

The stages of life:The stages of life:1.1. Birth (Blue)—easternmost Birth (Blue)—easternmost 2.2. Toddler Age (Purple)Toddler Age (Purple)3.3. Childhood (Green)Childhood (Green)4.4. Teen Years (Orange)Teen Years (Orange)5.5. Middle Age (White)Middle Age (White)6.6. Old Age (Violet)Old Age (Violet)7.7. Death (Black)—westernmostDeath (Black)—westernmost

What travels East to What travels East to West?West?

Aah!Aah!

SymbolismSymbolism The seventh room:The seventh room:

Black in color: Black in color: ““The seventh The seventh apartment was closely shrouded apartment was closely shrouded in black velvet tapestries that in black velvet tapestries that hung all over the ceiling and hung all over the ceiling and down the walls, falling in heavy down the walls, falling in heavy folds upon carpet of the same folds upon carpet of the same material and hue.material and hue.””

Mmm…Mmm…

Do many people want to Do many people want to enter the room? enter the room?

What does the color black What does the color black usually symbolize?usually symbolize?

……nothing cheery.nothing cheery.

SymbolismSymbolism The The sevenseven rooms: rooms:

The seven deadly sins:The seven deadly sins:PridePrideGreedGreedLustLustEnvyEnvyGluttonyGluttonyWrathWrathSlothSloth

Did you notice if…Did you notice if… Did Prince Prospero exhibit all of Did Prince Prospero exhibit all of

these things?these things? When did Prince Prospero get When did Prince Prospero get

really angry and begin chasing the really angry and begin chasing the masked figure?masked figure?

SymbolismSymbolism The clock:The clock:

A clock tells what?A clock tells what? The courtiers do what when the clock The courtiers do what when the clock

strikes?strikes? What are they doing?What are they doing? How much time do they How much time do they

have left?have left?

Mmm…Mmm… The clock is symbolic of the The clock is symbolic of the

passage of time before deathpassage of time before death—a constant reminder that —a constant reminder that death is inevitabledeath is inevitable..

AllusionsAllusions ““In truth the masquerade license of the In truth the masquerade license of the

night was nearly unlimited; but the figure night was nearly unlimited; but the figure in question had out-Heroded Herodin question had out-Heroded Herod”” Who is Herod?Who is Herod? What did he do?What did he do? How does this connect?How does this connect?

AllusionsAllusions ““And now was acknowledged the presence of And now was acknowledged the presence of

the Red Death. He had come like the Red Death. He had come like a thief in a thief in the nightthe night””.. A thief in the nightA thief in the night comes from where? comes from where?

I Thessalonians 5:4,9-10  "For you yourselves know full I Thessalonians 5:4,9-10  "For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.  For God has not destined us for wrath, but the night.  For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, who died for us, that whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him."we may live together with him."