Edgar Allen Poe

Short Story Lesson

Your assignment is to read one of four short stories by Edgar Allan Poe.  Your choices are “The Pit and the Pendulum”, “Hop Frog”, and “The Black Cat”.  After reading the story you need to do the following:

1. Write a summary of the story.

2. Identify two examples of each of the literary elements below, quote the specific passage, and then explain the effect they have.  After each quotation write the page number in parenthesis.

3. Write a one to two-page essay explaining in detail (elaborate and use quotes) how Poe remains true to his theory about short stories.  Remember, he believes a literary artist deliberately choose his words and phrases to create a single emotional effect.

4. This assignment must be typed, and is due Friday, January 13 (red) or Tuesday, January 17 (white).

Literary Elements:

Mood

Simile

Metaphor

Personification

Assonance

Consonance

Alliteration

Repetition