Ideal for units on reflective metaphorical poetry (especially around Halloween), this poem analysis worksheet helps high school readers interpret "Dear Ghosts" by Clarence Edwin Flynn, a nostalgic piece originally published in Weird Tales that subverts the conventions of the Gothic genre and addresses the lifelong pleasures to be derived from our memories. An answer key is included. By engaging with this poetry activity, students will:
Define words as they are used in context (e.g., unrealized).
Choose the most appropriate synonym for a word used in context (e.g., haunt).
Describe tone in context.
Infer the intended effects of words and phrases in context (e.g., "resurrected flowers").
Apply knowledge of literary devices (e.g., metaphor, oxymoron, paradox, personification, and more).
Explore themes.
Articulate how the poem defies the standard conventions of Gothic poetry.
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence.
Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google option is available.)
More Weird Tales resources for the Halloween season are available:
"Out of the Grave" by Eldridge Morton - Google and printable
"The Dogs of Salem" by David H. Keller - Google and printable
"The Graveyard Rats" by Henry Kuttner - Google and printable
"The Vow on Halloween" by Lyllian Huntley Harris - Google and printable
"The Werewolf Snarls" by Manly Wade Wellman - Google and printable
Ideal for units on reflective metaphorical poetry (especially around Halloween), this poem analysis worksheet helps high school readers interpret "Dear Ghosts" by Clarence Edwin Flynn, a nostalgic piece originally published in Weird Tales that subverts the conventions of the Gothic genre and addresses the lifelong pleasures to be derived from our memories. An answer key is included. By engaging with this poetry activity, students will:
Define words as they are used in context (e.g., unrealized).
Choose the most appropriate synonym for a word used in context (e.g., haunt).
Describe tone in context.
Infer the intended effects of words and phrases in context (e.g., "resurrected flowers").
Apply knowledge of literary devices (e.g., metaphor, oxymoron, paradox, personification, and more).
Explore themes.
Articulate how the poem defies the standard conventions of Gothic poetry.
Support claims and inferences with sound reasoning and relevant evidence.
Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. (Alternatively, a Google option is available.)
More Weird Tales resources for the Halloween season are available:
"Out of the Grave" by Eldridge Morton - Google and printable
"The Dogs of Salem" by David H. Keller - Google and printable
"The Graveyard Rats" by Henry Kuttner - Google and printable
"The Vow on Halloween" by Lyllian Huntley Harris - Google and printable
"The Werewolf Snarls" by Manly Wade Wellman - Google and printable
