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The Masque of the Red DeathObjective
Analyze how symbolism is used in the story
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What is an Allegory

• A type of story in which the characters,
  settings, and events are an interconnected series
  of SYMBOLS.
• The deeper or symbolic meaning of the story may
  contain a LESSON ABOUT LIFE.

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What is the background/setting

• Setting during the bubonic plague - 14th and
  17th centuries
• Bubonic plague was an illness carried by fleas
  who bit rats that traveled on ships
• The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30
  60 of Europe's population
• Symptoms boils in the groin, the neck and
  armpits, which oozed pus and bled when opened
  vomiting blood, fever
• http//www.squidoo.com/black-death-history

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What is the significance of the rooms

• Rooms are going east to west signifying the life
  cycle
• sunrise
• and
• sunset

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Going from East to West

• Blue birth
• Purple youth (beginnings of growth)
• Green youth
• Orange adult hood

• White mid-life
• Violet elderly
• Black death
• Red reserved for blood and fear

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What does the clock symbolize?

• It symbolizes reality their lives slowly ticking
  away.

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What does Prince Prosperos name symbolize

• Wealth prosperity
• He represents mankind's futile attempt to live
  forever.

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What does the mask figure symbolize?

• Death in general
• More specifically, the Red Death Plague

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Vocabulary

• Avatar the incarnation of a God (Hinduism)
• Pestilence a deadly epidemic disease
• Sagacious keen practical sense shrewd
• August inspiring reverence or admiration
• Contagion the communication of disease by
  contact
• Dauntless not to be intimidated fearless bold
• http//www.needcoffee.com/2009/10/11/masque-red-de
  ath-audio/

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1. Why do Prince Prospero and his followers
retreat to his palace?

• To escape the Red Death Plague

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2. Explain how the party is constantly disrupted.
Every time the clock strikes off another hour,
the orchestra stops playing and the people stop
dancing.
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3. Compare life outside the palace with the life
of the people Prospero brought inside.
Inside
Outside
Wealth
Poverty
Fantasy
Reality
Life
Death Destruction
Happiness
Sorrow
Health
Disease/Sickness
Despair
Hope
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4. What do you learn about Prospero's character
from his desire to keep his palace free of the
plague?

• He is afraid to die.
• He is prejudice against the poor.
• He thinks he can cheat death. (He thinks he can
  buy his way out.)

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5. What mood or effect is created by
the colors and the lighting in the rooms
of the ball?

• It causes a dream-like effect.
• Fantasy

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6. Why does the visitor frighten the guests?

• Because he suddenly and mysteriously appears out
  of nowhere
• Because he looks like someone with the Red Death
  Plague
• Because he just stalks to and fro and doesn't
  talk

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7. List 6 aspects of how Poe builds terror in
the story

• Description of the plagues symptoms
• Doors welded shut one couldn't leave even if one
  wanted to
• Dim, pulsing lights from the burning coals
• Black room with the red panes
• Appearance and behavior of the intruder
• Clock constantly stopping the party

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Processing

• Create a foldable
• On the back upper half, write the title, author
  and theme (13)
• On the outside of the flap, state the questions
• On the flat side, when you open the flap, answer
  the question.
• On the other side of the flap, draw a picture
• On the back answer lower half, short response
  1 ONLY

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Question of the Day

• Create a plot diagram, and explain the exposition
  and rising actions events so far in the story

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Question of the Day

• Finish the plot diagram you started yesterday.
  Please fill in the climax and resolution.