“The Masque of the Red Death”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)

Known for what type of literature?

Horror, Suspense, Mystery

Other works by Poe include:

CASK OF AMONTILLADO FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM ANNABEL LEE ELDORADO THE RAVEN THE TELL-TALE HEART

REVIEW: Compare and contrast inside versus outside of the Prince Prospero’s Abbey.

OutsideInside

RealityFantasy

Death; DestructionLife

SorrowHappiness

Health Disease/Sickness

DespairHope

Wealth Poverty

Going from East to West:

BluePurpleGreenOrange

WhiteVioletBlack/Red

Literary Focus

SuspenseForeshadowingSymbolism

Suspense

The quality of a story that keeps you guessing

Makes you read to find out what happens next!

Foreshadowing

The use of hints about what is going to happen next

Heightens suspense

Examples of Suspense/foreshadowing

Description of the plague’s symptoms

Doors welded shut; one couldn't leave even if one wanted to

Dim, pulsing lights from the burning coals

Black room with the red panesAppearance and behavior of the

intruderClock constantly stopping the party

Why does the prince think he can escape the plague?

(infer)Various answers…

Uninvited guest or something else?

Prove your point…

Symbolism

Symbol – an object, person, or event that represents something else

Used to make a point, create a mood, or reinforce a theme

Many symbols have obvious/universal meanings, like COLORS

WHAT MIGHT EACH COLOR REPRESENT?

Group Work

Symbolism through colorsRotate through “Color” StationsThink about objects associated with the

colors to help you come up with ideas that the colors symbolize!

Write your ideas on your Group ChartPick your best ideas and write them on

the COLORED construction paperAnswer the questions at the bottom

1. BLUE

Masculinity; Sadness; Melancholy; Calm

2. PURPLE

Royalty

3. GREEN

Envy; luck; nature

4. ORANGE

Caution

5. WHITE

Purity; peace

6. PINK

Femininity

7. BLACK

Death; mourning

7. RED

Love; Hatred; Passion; Help

Symbolism creates the “Mood”

What mood or effect is created by the colors and the lighting in the rooms of the ball? It causes a dream-like effect.Fantasy

Symbolism makes a point…

Why do you think the rooms are aligned from East to West?The sun sets from east to westsymbolizing something coming to an

end; death

Why do you think Poe chose to have SEVEN rooms?

What could the number 7 represent/symbolize?

The Seven Deadly Sins!Or

The Seven Stages in Life

Seven Stages of Life

When you get to the “White” Room You will completed the 7 Stages of Life Handout.

Seven Deadly Sins“GELCAPS” is a mnemonic

device.Mnemonic devices are tools for

those who want help in remembering important facts.

Click here for top 10 mnemonic devices!

Group WorkSeven Deadly Sins

Find the name(s) of the 7 deadly sins on the back of colored construction paper.

Write the name on the appropriate line for “GELCAPS”

You will complete 2 sins in the GREEN ROOM

Come up with a definitionWrite down consequence(s) for each sinAnswer the question at the bottom In the WHITE ROOM you will complete

the 7 Stages of LIFE activity

Use these pictures to help you define the 7 Deadly Sins

G-NAME - Gluttony

DEFINITION - The overindulgence of anything.

CONSEQUENCES - Death

E-

NAME - Envy

DEFINITION - Jealousy of others.

CONSEQUENCES - Death

L-

NAME - Lust

DEFINITION - Impure thoughts and desires.

CONSEQUENCES - Death

C-

NAME - Covetousness

DEFINITION - The desire for others’ things

CONSEQUENCES - Death

A-

NAME Anger

DEFINITION - An out-of-control emotion of rage

CONSEQUENCES - Death

P-

NAME Pride

DEFINITION - An overconfidence in one’s self or one’s abilities

CONSEQUENCES - Death

S-

NAME - Sloth (Procrastination)

DEFINITION - Laziness

CONSEQUENCES - Death

* Give (2) reasons why these sins are considered to be so

dangerous.

Society accepts and promotes them.

When taken to the extreme they all lead to death.

Other symbols in the story…

What might the following symbolize?Prince Prospero…The Masquerade…The Masked Figure…The Clock…

Prince Prospero –

Wealth; prosperity

He represents mankind's futile attempt to live

forever.

The masquerade –

Fantasy; escaping from reality

The masked figure –

Death in general;

More specifically, the Red Death Plague

The Clock

It symbolizes reality; their lives slowly ticking away.

Why use all of these symbols?

To say something without saying it!Poe is try to convey a deeper

meaning from this story.In other words, we aren’t just talking

about a party and a murdering spree!When a story has a deeper meaning

than what’s on the surface it is called an …

Allegory:

A type of story in which the characters, settings, and events are an interconnected series of SYMBOLS.

The deeper or symbolic meaning of the story may contain a LESSON ABOUT LIFE.

What do you learn about Prospero's character from his

desire to keep his palace free of the plague?

He is afraid to die.He is prejudice against the poor.

He thinks he can cheat death. (He thinks he can buy his way out.)

What is the allegorical lesson in the story?

(write in the 3rd Person)

One cannot escape his or her fate or death.