High School Projects for the Masque of the Red Death
Edgar Allan Poe's "Masque of the Red Death," as an allegory for the different stages of life, inspires multiple interpretations. Poe uses specific inventory throughout the story for symbolism, including the seven chambers in Prospero's castle, colors, the clock, the masqueraders and the Red Death. English teachers can use projects to generate students' interest while they analyze and interpret the story.
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Compare Literature to Film
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One way to open discussion among students comes through comparing the short story to one of several film versions of "The Masque of the Red Death." The National Historic Site of the National Park Service recommends the 1964 version, starring Vincent Price and directed by Roger Corman. The teacher should ask students to note the similarities and differences between story and film, including if Poe's symbolism became more prominent onscreen, what technique the director used and how it matches or differs from Poe's.
Art Projects
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Poe wrote the "Masque of the Red Death" with vivid imagery, describing the various chambers, decorations and people in detail. English students can bring Poe's story to life through visual arts. Possible projects include the recreation of a chamber in a painting or diorama, a mask worn by one of the masqueraders or a sculpture of the Red Death. Coordinating lesson plans with the school's art teacher gives students more resources and class time to work on their projects.
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Write an Allegory
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Poe employed various techniques to write his stories. English teachers can explain the format Poe used in "Masque of the Red Death" and ask students to replicate his technique in their own allegory for life, using inventory such as Poe's to move the plot forward. This project focus stresses the main elements of a short story, including character, setting, conflict, plot and theme, while students hone their writing skills.
Trivia Game
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An informal way for teachers to challenge students' memories -- a trivia game -- uses the story's vocabulary words, symbolism, characters and biographical facts from Poe's life. Teachers should arrange students into groups to promote teamwork and have each team race to beat the Red Death. Every team starts with a blue chamber card, losing one chamber color for each question answered incorrectly until a team reaches the black chamber.
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References
- Photo Credit Red Face image by paul hampton from Fotolia.com
