"Berenice" by Edgar Allan Poe Quiz, Literary Analysis Worksheet, and Vocabulary Games
Facilitate reading comprehension and sharpen literary analysis skills with this bundle of activities and assessments covering Edgar Allan Poe's scary short story "Berenice." A plot-based quiz, close reading inference worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, vocabulary application exercise, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google option is available.) Students will practice and demonstrate the following essential ELA skills:
Choosing the most proper application of challenging words as they are used in sentences.
Applying knowledge of literary devices such as metaphor, allusion, personification, irony, foreshadowing, and symbolism.
Interpreting author's stylistic choices, including the effect of em-dashes and tone shifts.
Comparing and contrasting characters to evaluate characterization and narrative function.
Making logical inferences about narrator mindset, character motives, and thematic meaning.
Evaluating diction and phrasing to determine tone and author's intent.
Examining point of view and its influence on narrative reliability.
Identifying irony and foreshadowing as tools for building suspense.
Many factors make "Berenice" an excellent addition to a high school short story unit, especially during the Halloween season: its unreliable narrator, grotesque imagery, oppressive tone, and shocking plot twist in the resolution. The narrative pairs especially well with other works of horror fiction such as "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and "Pickman's Model" by H.P. Lovecraft.
Resources are available for teaching short stories of various genres:
Facilitate reading comprehension and sharpen literary analysis skills with this bundle of activities and assessments covering Edgar Allan Poe's scary short story "Berenice." A plot-based quiz, close reading inference worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, vocabulary application exercise, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google option is available.) Students will practice and demonstrate the following essential ELA skills:
Choosing the most proper application of challenging words as they are used in sentences.
Applying knowledge of literary devices such as metaphor, allusion, personification, irony, foreshadowing, and symbolism.
Interpreting author's stylistic choices, including the effect of em-dashes and tone shifts.
Comparing and contrasting characters to evaluate characterization and narrative function.
Making logical inferences about narrator mindset, character motives, and thematic meaning.
Evaluating diction and phrasing to determine tone and author's intent.
Examining point of view and its influence on narrative reliability.
Identifying irony and foreshadowing as tools for building suspense.
Many factors make "Berenice" an excellent addition to a high school short story unit, especially during the Halloween season: its unreliable narrator, grotesque imagery, oppressive tone, and shocking plot twist in the resolution. The narrative pairs especially well with other works of horror fiction such as "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and "Pickman's Model" by H.P. Lovecraft.
Resources are available for teaching short stories of various genres:
Facilitate reading comprehension and sharpen literary analysis skills with this bundle of activities and assessments covering Edgar Allan Poe's scary short story "Berenice." A plot-based quiz, close reading inference worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, vocabulary application exercise, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included. Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google option is available.) Students will practice and demonstrate the following essential ELA skills:
Choosing the most proper application of challenging words as they are used in sentences.
Applying knowledge of literary devices such as metaphor, allusion, personification, irony, foreshadowing, and symbolism.
Interpreting author's stylistic choices, including the effect of em-dashes and tone shifts.
Comparing and contrasting characters to evaluate characterization and narrative function.
Making logical inferences about narrator mindset, character motives, and thematic meaning.
Evaluating diction and phrasing to determine tone and author's intent.
Examining point of view and its influence on narrative reliability.
Identifying irony and foreshadowing as tools for building suspense.
Many factors make "Berenice" an excellent addition to a high school short story unit, especially during the Halloween season: its unreliable narrator, grotesque imagery, oppressive tone, and shocking plot twist in the resolution. The narrative pairs especially well with other works of horror fiction such as "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel Hawthorne and "Pickman's Model" by H.P. Lovecraft.
Resources are available for teaching short stories of various genres:
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Facilitate reading comprehension and sharpen literary analysis skills with this bundle of activities and assessments covering Edgar Allan Poe's scary short story "Berenice." A plot-based quiz, close reading inference worksheet, vocabulary definitions handout, vocabulary application exercise, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included.