“The Masque of the Red Death”
Why do Prince Prospero and his followers retreat to his palace? To escape the Red Death Plague
Describe in specific detail the series of rooms in which the Masquerade Ball takes place. A series of 7 rooms in a zig-zag pattern To serve as lighting, there are large bowls of burning coals between the rooms.
In the black room there stands a huge ebony grandfather clock. The decorations match the color of each room. There is a Gothic window in each room which panes match the color of the room. The black room’s window panes are the only exception: its panes are “blood” red.
Explain how the party is constantly disrupted. Every time the clock strikes off another hour, the orchestra stops playing and the people stop dancing.
Inside Outside Wealth Poverty Fantasy Reality Life Death; Destruction 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 Hope Despair
He is prejudiced against the poor. 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 prejudiced against the poor. He thinks he can cheat death. (He thinks he can buy his way out.)
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
Why does the clock have such a dramatic effect on the dancers? It symbolizes reality; their lives slowly ticking away.
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
List aspects of how Poe builds terror in the story: Description of the plague’s 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
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.
Allegory set of recognizable symbols whose meanings combine to convey a message. An allegory always operates on two levels of meaning: the literal elements of the plot (the colors of the rooms, for example) and their symbolic counterparts, which often involve large philosophical concepts (such as life and death).
What is the allegorical lesson in the story? THEME: One cannot escape his or her fate or death.
Symbolism Connects the theme Projected symbolism: The author writes without the intent to make things symbolic, but the reader can draw symbols from the story. Intended symbolism: The author writes with the intent to make things symbolic or representative of something else
Symbolism connects the Theme Symbol: a person, animal, thing, event, or idea that represents something in addition to itself heart = love cross = religion or Christianity skull = death red = passion, blood white = purity, innocence what could symbolize life? death? freedom? joy? hate? ***symbols help readers understand the meaning of the story by focusing on specific ideas related to the theme
SYMBOLS What might each Symbol from the story represent?
He represents mankind's futile attempt to live forever. Prince Prospero – Wealth; prosperity He represents mankind's futile attempt to live forever.
The masquerade – Fantasy; escaping from reality
More specifically, the Red Death Plague The masked figure – Death in general; More specifically, the Red Death Plague
The number 7 - The Seven Deadly Sins Gluttony - The overindulgence of anything. Envy- Jealousy of others. Lust - Impure thoughts and desires. Covetousness - The desire for others’ things Anger-fury, also known as wrath Pride- An overconfidence in one’s self or one’s abilities Sloth (Procrastination)- Laziness
The number 7 - 7; the world was created in 7 days; it symbolizes fullness, completion. Room 1 (in the east): blue (water-life begins in water in womb) Room 2: purple: royalty, power (children control, dominate family life) Room 3: green: growth, life (youth, maturation Room 4: orange: fertility (adulthood; procreation & productivity) Room 5: white: purification (part of aging is finding meaning in life & becoming more spiritual) Room 6: violet: light purple (weakening power as result of aging body) Room 7: black/ red: evil, death, sorrow, loss Full spectrum of colors represents the stages of man’s life from birth to death.
WHAT MIGHT EACH COLOR REPRESENT?
Going from East to West: Blue Purple Green Orange White Violet Black
Masculinity; Sadness; Melancholy; Calm BLUE Masculinity; Sadness; Melancholy; Calm
PURPLE Royalty
GREEN Envy; luck; growth
ORANGE Caution ;fertility
WHITE Purity; peace
Violet Mystery; sprituality
BLACK Death; mourning