Unit 1 Writing Task

You've read two stories having to do with the literature of fear. In "The Fall of the House of Usher," Edgar Allan Poe creates a chilling Gothic tale in which a brother and sister appear to be decaying along with their house. In "House Taken Over," another brother and sister are driven from their home when it is invaded by unwelcome visitors--or is it? 

Now, use them as examples for your own narrative or short story about fear.

Describe a moment, either from your real life or from your imagination, when you or someone else let imagination overcome reason. 

Think about the texts you've read. Consider how imagination works in "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "House Taken Over." Consider other examples in literature, popular culture, and your own life.

• What does imagination make the characters feel?

• What does it make them do?

• What happens when people "let their imaginations run away with them"?

For a model of a well-crafted narrative, see the Launch Text, "My Introduction to Gothic Literature."

💡Prompt Specific Ideas and Activities

Possible Sentence Starters

• After reading "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "House Taken Over," I can see how imagination plays a significant role in creating fear. In these stories, imagination makes the characters feel ________.

• Imagination not only affects the characters' emotions but also influences their actions. In "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "House Taken Over," imagination makes the characters________.

• When people "let their imaginations run away with them," unexpected consequences can occur. This is evident in both literature and popular culture, as well as in real life examples such as _________.

• In a moment of fear, I remember feeling as if my imagination took control when…

• As I walked through the dark house, the shadows seemed to whisper my name, making me believe that…

• Just like the characters in "The Fall of the House of Usher," I felt a growing sense of dread when I imagined that…

Exemplary Response:

Trapped in the Shadows

As I stepped into the dark and mysterious hallway of the abandoned mansion, my heart raced with fear and anticipation. The creaking floorboards beneath my feet echoed through the empty corridors, sending shivers down my spine. Shadows danced on the cracked walls, whispering secrets of the past.

The air was heavy with a sense of foreboding as I made my way towards the grand staircase. I could hear my own rapid breaths, punctuated by the sound of my racing heartbeat. Imagined whispers echoed in my ears, fueling my anxiety. I couldn't help but let my imagination run wild, picturing ghosts and specters lurking in every corner.

As I reached the top of the stairs, a flickering candle caught my attention. The feeble flame danced, casting eerie shadows across the hallway. I couldn't resist its allure and followed its flickering glow into a room, barely lit by the moonlight seeping through the windows.

In that dimly lit room, I discovered a hidden diary. It seemed to call out to me, urging me to reveal its secrets. With trembling hands, I opened its worn pages, exposing the faded ink of a long-lost tale. The words leaped off the page, painting vivid images in my mind.

Lost in the world of the diary, imagination took hold of me completely. I felt the protagonist's fear, their paranoia, and their desperate struggle to escape the clutches of their haunted past. Every moment was a battle between reason and the unknown, between reality and the fictional horrors that consumed their mind.

Imagination made the characters in the stories feel a mix of anxiety, terror, and an overwhelming sense of psychological distress. It heightened their senses, making even the slightest noise or shadow appear threatening. It created a constant state of uncertainty, blurring the line between what was real and what was imagined.

In "The Fall of the House of Usher," Edgar Allan Poe weaved a tale of decay and madness, where the characters' imagination became their greatest enemy. In "House Taken Over," the invasion of the unwelcome visitors fueled the characters' imaginations, leading to their self-imposed exile.

When people allow their imagination to run away with them, it can lead to a distorted perception of reality. It can cause them to make hasty decisions, fueled by paranoia and fear. The lines between fact and fiction blur, and the consequences are often dire.

Non-Exemplary Response:

A Scary Night

Once upon a time, there was a haunted house. It was really scary. The main character went inside and got spooked. They found a diary and read it. It was a bit scary. They used their imagination and got scared. The end.