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English 2

Short Story Analysis

The Masque of the Red Death – Poe

Recall. Answer the following questions about the story using complete sentences. (2 points)

  1. Why does Prince Prospero hide in his castle?
  2. Describe the prince’s fortification (defense location).
  3. What does the prince decide to do after the fifth or sixth month of seclusion? Why?
  4. Describe the seven chambers of the castle? What is significant about the seventh one?
  5. Describe the uninvited guest.

Compare/Contrast. Answer the following using complete sentences. (2 points)

  1. Contrast life outside the palace with life inside it.
  2. Compare the party without the clock ringing to the party while the clock is ringing.

Interpret/Analyze. Use complete sentences to answer the following questions. (2 points)

  1. Why does the ebony clock have such a dramatic effect on the dancers?
  2. What details of the description tell you what Poe meant for the clock to symbolize?

Characters/Characterization. Use details from the text to answer the following questions. (2 points)

  1. Who is the protagonist?
  2. Who is the antagonist?
  3. How do you know what the protagonist is like? Is this direct or indirect characterization?
  4. How do you know what the antagonist is like? Is this direct or indirect characterization?
  5. Is the protagonist a round or flat character? How do you know?
  6. Is the antagonist a round or flat character? How do you know?
  7. Are there any examples of flat characters in the story? If so, who?

Point of View. (3 points)

  1. Who is telling the story? Is it told from first or third person? How do you know?

Plot Diagram. Draw a plot diagram, and label it correctly with the key elements of plot. Then, write a brief description of these elements from the story. (10 points)

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE

Symbols. Explain the following symbols from the story. Be sure to tell what they symbolize with details from the text for support. (2 points)

  1. Prince Prospero -
  2. Black room -
  3. Ebony clock-
  4. Unknown masquerader -

Allusions. Explain the following allusions from the short story. (2 points)

  1. Hernani -
  2. Out-Heroded Herod -

OTHER LITERARY TERMS

Foreshadowing (2 points). Answer the following questions using complete sentences.

  1. What was the significance of stating that the castle door was welded shut? What might this foreshadow?
  2. Cite an example from the text to show that the clock’s chiming could be foreshadowing.
  3. Why does Poe take time to explain the velvet room in detail?
  4. Why might the revelers be afraid of the initial sight of the unknown masquerader?

Theme (2 points). Answer the following questions using complete sentences.

29. What might Poe be teaching us from the Prince’s attitude toward the suffering people in the community?

30. What might Poe be teaching us about death in relation to avoidance? Cite specific examples from the text to support your idea.

Using Context Clues. Determine the meaning of these unknown, bolded words from the story using context clues. Write the definition on the lines provided.(1 point)

31. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. (p. 82)

32. They resolved to leave means neither of ingress or egress. (pg. 83)

33. But, in spite of these things, it was a gay and magnificent revel. (p. 85)

34. The mask which concealed the visage was made so nearly…(p. 87)

35. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all. (p. 88)