“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe

Thinking notes – first read Annotation – second read Reading rigorous text Thinking notes – first read Annotation – second read

What is annotation? A well-annotated text will accomplish all of the following: •clearly identify where in the text important ideas and information are located •express the main ideas of a text

and annotations will…….. •trace the development of ideas/arguments or SUSPENSE throughout a text •introduce a few of the reader’s thoughts and reactions

Suspense Anxiety or apprehension resulting from an uncertain, undecided, or mysterious situation Master of suspense

Pacing Advancing or developing something at a particular rate or tempo. What happens to the cat(s) in the story?

Dangerous action This is pretty self-explanatory How does the narrator’s violent nature cause trouble for everyone including himself?

Foreshadowing A literary device in which the author gives clues as to what will happen later. For example: The narrator is awaiting execution at the beginning of the story. What does this tell us?

Make this chart Suspenseful Moment Dangerous Action Pacing Foreshadowing Five examples of a suspenseful moment in story Identify each example as dangerous, pacing or foreshadowing In the correct box, analyze the suspense

Directions – In your journal Make a chart with four columns and five rows. The columns should be labeled Suspenseful Moment Dangerous Action Pacing Foreshadowing Find five suspenseful moments in the story and fill in the first column Decide if each moment is either dangerous action, pacing or foreshadowing In the proper square, write a short analysis

Directions In your journal write a short response about your analysis of suspense. These questions may help you if you are having trouble: How does Poe use foreshadowing to create suspense? How does the dangerous actions of the narrator establish an ominous mood? How does knowing the narrator is awaiting execution as the story beings make it more or less suspenseful?