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"It Walks by Night" by Henry Kuttner | Halloween English Activities | Gothic Short Story Lessons

$7.20 $8.00

Embrace the Halloween spirit in the high school English classroom with this bundle of activities and assessments covering the Lovecraftian/Poesque short story "It Walks by Night" by Henry Kuttner. A plot-based quiz, literary analysis worksheet, 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 Drive option is available.) Students will practice and demonstrate the following essential ELA skills:

  • Analyzing the title to discern how the ambiguous pronoun it instantly establishes a mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere.

  • Examining diction (e.g., "wan splotch of light" and "cold tide of sanity") to uncover subtext and to deepen understanding of both character psychology and setting

  • Exploring figurative language, such as metaphors and personification, evaluating its effect on tone, mood, and characterization

  • Conducting brief literary and historical research to interpret allusions (e.g., the Cimmerian cave) and their impact on meaning

  • Analyzing self vs. society conflict, particularly Johann's defiance of local norms and its consequences

  • Interpreting sensory imagery to understand how subtle sounds and sights build a sense of dread

  • Evaluating situational irony in the story's resolution, particularly how Johann's expectations are violated in a moment of horrifying revelation

The short story is a piece of psychological horror in which a widower visits a cemetery to defend his wife's corpse from "a horror that walks by night," only to face a horror he never could have imagined. The narrative's sinister atmosphere and intensity of emotion make "It Walks by Night" a compelling addition to a scary short story unit, especially around the Halloween season. It pairs especially well with works of fiction like "The Beast in the Cave" by H.P. Lovecraft and "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Resources are available for teaching short stories of various genres:

Embrace the Halloween spirit in the high school English classroom with this bundle of activities and assessments covering the Lovecraftian/Poesque short story "It Walks by Night" by Henry Kuttner. A plot-based quiz, literary analysis worksheet, 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 Drive option is available.) Students will practice and demonstrate the following essential ELA skills:

  • Analyzing the title to discern how the ambiguous pronoun it instantly establishes a mysterious and suspenseful atmosphere.

  • Examining diction (e.g., "wan splotch of light" and "cold tide of sanity") to uncover subtext and to deepen understanding of both character psychology and setting

  • Exploring figurative language, such as metaphors and personification, evaluating its effect on tone, mood, and characterization

  • Conducting brief literary and historical research to interpret allusions (e.g., the Cimmerian cave) and their impact on meaning

  • Analyzing self vs. society conflict, particularly Johann's defiance of local norms and its consequences

  • Interpreting sensory imagery to understand how subtle sounds and sights build a sense of dread

  • Evaluating situational irony in the story's resolution, particularly how Johann's expectations are violated in a moment of horrifying revelation

The short story is a piece of psychological horror in which a widower visits a cemetery to defend his wife's corpse from "a horror that walks by night," only to face a horror he never could have imagined. The narrative's sinister atmosphere and intensity of emotion make "It Walks by Night" a compelling addition to a scary short story unit, especially around the Halloween season. It pairs especially well with works of fiction like "The Beast in the Cave" by H.P. Lovecraft and "The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allan Poe.

Resources are available for teaching short stories of various genres:

"In a Graveyard" Gothic Literature Activities | Dark Humor | Halloween Horror
"In a Graveyard" Gothic Literature Activities | Dark Humor | Halloween Horror
$7.20 $8.00
"The Dogs of Salem" by David H. Keller Gothic Fiction Activities | Witch Trials | Halloween Short Story
"The Dogs of Salem" by David H. Keller Gothic Fiction Activities | Witch Trials | Halloween Short Story
$7.20 $8.00

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Embrace the Halloween spirit in the high school English classroom with this bundle of activities and assessments covering the Lovecraftian/Poesque short story "It Walks by Night" by Henry Kuttner. A plot-based quiz, literary analysis worksheet, vocabulary application exercise, crossword puzzle, word search game, and answer keys are included.

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