Gothic Literature Lesson Plan

If you're an English teacher, you know the groans and complaints that come when you pull out a short story and try discuss imagery or plot. "Why do we have to know this?" "When will I ever have to use this again?" Those questions are the biggest pet peeve of a literature teacher that is trying to teach students analyzation skills that they can use in any field in the future. What to find a way to end this insanity? Using the secondary students' inherent love of the world of the horror and gore is a great way to trick them into learning. Here is a unit based on Gothic literature that I have found students enjoy, as they get to explore their favorite stories and movies, and can hardly tell they're learning.

I. Objectives
1. Students will be able to use a plot outline to map out a story.
2. Students will be able to analyze a Gothic story, looking at the elements used to create suspense such as mood, tone, imagery, etc.
3. Students will practice oral speaking skills and cooperative learning skills as they work with a group to produce an oral story telling.

II. Lessons

Day 1:
1. Journal: What is your favorite scary story and why?
2. Discussion
3. Hand out or place a dark or eerie picture for students to look at. Ask them to write a short story based on the picture. It can either talk about what is going on in the picture or any feelings inspired by it.
4. Share and discuss why the picture conveys these feelings and what images gave them this mood or feeling.

Day 2:
1. Journal: What is your favorite scary movie? Why?
2. Share and discuss ideas. Direct students to discussing what about them scares them. Direct it toward key images and the importance of the visual and audio aspects of the movies to how they feel.
3. Define Imagery on the board. Have students highlight any imagery they used in their stories. Have them record them on the board. Ask what makes these images strong or weak?
4. Read "The Yellow Wallpaper" and discuss how imagery creates the setting and mood.