Please do now:
Masque of the Red DeathEdgar Allan PoeSymbolism, Allegory and
Imagery
Symbolism, Allegory, Imagery Why Learn Them?Understand and
appreciate the broader meaning of a literary workIs The Old Man and
the Sea really just a story about a fishing trip gone bad?Enhance
your writing, allowing you to convey more nuanced meaning with
every sentence
SymbolismSymbolism: a writers use of symbols in which a place,
thing or event stands for a larger ideaA dog can be a symbol ofA
rose can be a symbol ofA dove can be a symbol ofMay be subtle and
open to interpretationCan help reader understand and appreciate
broader meaning of a work
Exercise: SymbolismIn your notebook, create two columns: SYMBOLS
and POSSIBLE MEANINGSIn the first column, three concrete objectsIn
the second column, explain what each object might symbolizeExchange
with your partner--what else might these objects symbolize?
AllegoryA story in which all characters, settings, events and
actions are symbolicTeaches a lesson or reveals a truthExample: The
Tortoise and the HareWhat do the characters and setting
symbolize?What is the moral of the story?
ImageryThe use of figurative or descriptive language to create a
vivid mental picture Involves at least one of the five
senses--sight, sound, touch, smell, tasteHelps to establish the
mood of the piece
Imagery: ExamplesThe following images might be used to describe
a stroll on a summer night:Sight - a full moon in a black skySound
- the chirp of cricketsTaste - the tang of a cold glass of
lemonadeTouch - a warm breezeSmell - freshly mowed grass
Exercise: ImageryMake a five column chart in your notebookLabel
each column with one sense:Sight Sound Touch Taste SmellNow imagine
a perfect Saturday morningFill in chart, describing the sights,
sounds, etc. of your perfect Saturday morningMonday morning?How do
your descriptions impact the mood?
Masque of the Red Death Author: Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)Known
for tales of horror and the macabrePioneered detective stories and
science fictionTroubled lifeOrphaned at young age when father
abandoned family and mother died of tuberculosisAt age 26, married
13-year-old cousin who died 11 years later of tuberculosisDied
mysteriously after being found on the streets of
Baltimorespeculation includes alcoholism, heart disease, even
rabies
Background:The Black DeathOne of the most devastating pandemics
in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348-1350 Killed 25
million people, 30-60% of Europes populationSpread by infected rats
and flea bitesStarted with appearance of buboes (tender, enlarged
lymph nodes under the armpits, in the neck, or in the groin)Most
died a horrific death within 3-5 days
Background: The Black PlagueThey died by the hundreds, both day
and night, and all were thrown in ... ditches and covered with
earth. And as soon as those ditches were filled, more were dug. And
I, Agnolo di Tura ... buried my five children with my own hands ...
And so many died that all believed it was the end of the world.The
Plague in Siena: An Italian Chronicle
The Black Plague: Watch it!Links to video backgrounders on the
Black Death4 min trailer from the History Channel (note, due to
some graphic images, recommended for ages
14+):http://www.history.com/topics/black-death/videos/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us-the-plagueFrom
YouTube, a teachers 18-min edited version of a History Channel
program (not copyrighted, strictly for classroom use
only):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJfVmGQNM5Y
Masque of the Red Death VocabularyWith a partner, find the
definitions for the following words. Write them in your notebook.
Include a visual representation for each to help you remember
meaning.ProfuseAugustImpedeCessationDecorumTangible
Masque of the Red Death VocabularyProfusean overflowing amount
ofAugustmajestic, impressiveImpedeto block, stop, get in the way
ofCessationa stopping or haltingDecorumbehavior that is polite and
proper for the occasionTangibleable to be touched
