Assignments Page
Classic Poe Tales
I couldn’t teach an American Lit class without offering following stories. However some of you have read and enjoyed them. If you have read them all, I want you to explore his lesser known stories.
Find the stories you want to read online. Print them out if you want or read them on screen. I have some copies of many of these. I’ve also provided links to audio versions—some better than others—which you can listen to as you read along.
To receive credit for reading, you need to complete the activity that accompanies each story. If you don’t like the activity, you can write a general reaction to the story.
“The Tell-Tale Heart”
http://poestories.com/read/telltaleheart
Description: One of Poe’s best known stories. An old man’s evil eye taunts an unnamed narrator. When the old man disappears, the police show up.
Activity: Make connections to William Wilson and the theme of the human conscience. Do a short write up.
Audio Version
Cool animated version—interesting to watch even if you’ve read the story a hundred times.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4s9V8aQu4c
“The Fall of the House of Usher”
http://poestories.com/read/houseofusher
Description: A man describes his time spent with his sick friend in his friend’s mansion.
Activity: Draw the House of Usher as it is described in the story or answer the following questions: Was this story a metaphor for something? If so what? Why? If not why not?
“The Raven”
http://poestories.com/read/raven
Description: A raven shows up in a man’s house.
Activity: Make a storyboard for a video poem of this classic.
Audio Versions
Vincent Price:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27ZvwQd-wXw&feature=related
Walken:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLSmhpwLdEQ
James Earl Jones:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXU3RfB7308&feature=related
Dore’s Illustrations
http://www.artsycraftsy.com/dore_raven.html
“The Black Cat”
http://poestories.com/read/blackcat
Description: A man kills a black cat and hilarity ensues—well maybe not hilarity.
Activity: Write about the themes and aspects to this story that occur in other Poe stories. Make connections to other thing you’ve read by him.
Audio Version
“Cask of Amontillado”
http://poestories.com/read/amontillado
Description: During Carnival (Mardi Gras), an unnamed narrator seeks revenge on a man who has slighted him. They go in search of a rare wine—Amontillado.
Activity: In writing, analyze and review the story. What are its strengths and weaknesses. Consider the characters, setting and language. Give Poe feedback on the six traits as though he turned this story in and you were his writing teacher.
Audio Version
“The Pit and the Pendulum”
http://poestories.com/read/pit
Description: A man wakes to find himself in a dungeon.
Activity: Draw a map of the dungeon and how you picture it.
Audio Version
“Hop-Frog”
http://poestories.com/read/hop-frog
Description: A dwarf jester seeks revenge on his oppressors.
Activity: Make a movie poster by hand or Photoshop/Pixlr for the story.
Audio Version
http://ia700401.us.archive.org/21/items/short_ghohor_002_librivox/ghohor002_hopfrog_poe_aw_64kb.mp3
"The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether"
Preview: A narrator traveling in France visits a most unusual insane asylum and its unusual projects.
Activity: write journal entries for Dr. Maillard. Make them from different stages from his life. Then focus on the months preceding the action of the story and after.
http://poestories.com/read/systemoftarr
"The Oval Portrait"
Preview- a nameless narrator visits an inn, where he discovers the truth about a very entrancing painting. three stars.
Activity- write a journal entry for how you feel the maiden in the painting felt as she was posing for the painting
http://poestories.com/read/ovalportrait
If you’ve read all these go to
http://poestories.com/stories.php
Find new stories and create activities for them like I created above. Once you create an activity email it to me.
2658306877-9117-19238-190-155.pdf - "Very Short on Law ans Order"