Immediate ResponseImmediate Response

What do you think about the story?What do you think about the story?

What did you like about the story?What did you like about the story?

What was particularly effective in the What was particularly effective in the storystory??

Shirley Jackson’s ResponseShirley Jackson’s Response

““Explaining just what I had hoped the Explaining just what I had hoped the story to say is very difficult. I suppose, story to say is very difficult. I suppose, I hoped, by setting a particularly brutal I hoped, by setting a particularly brutal ancient rite in the present and in my ancient rite in the present and in my own village to shock the story's own village to shock the story's readers with a graphic dramatization of readers with a graphic dramatization of the pointless violence and general the pointless violence and general inhumanity in their own lives.”inhumanity in their own lives.”

Human sacrifice Human sacrifice was practiced by many ancient cultures. People was practiced by many ancient cultures. People would be ritually killed in a manner that was supposed to please a would be ritually killed in a manner that was supposed to please a

god or spirit. Human sacrifices for religious reasons still exist today in god or spirit. Human sacrifices for religious reasons still exist today in a number of nations.a number of nations.

Human Sacrifices were made:Human Sacrifices were made: Upon the death of a king, Upon the death of a king,

high priest or great leader. high priest or great leader. The sacrificed were The sacrificed were supposed to serve or supposed to serve or accompany the deceased accompany the deceased leader in the next life. leader in the next life.

In times of natural disaster. In times of natural disaster. Droughts, earthquakes, Droughts, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc. were volcanic eruptions, etc. were seen as a sign of anger or seen as a sign of anger or displeasure by the gods. displeasure by the gods. Sacrifices were made in effort Sacrifices were made in effort to lesson the anger.to lesson the anger.

‘‘Pioneers’ – From Autumn to AshesPioneers’ – From Autumn to Ashes

1) “ We know the end of man will stem from 1) “ We know the end of man will stem from stale tradition; Relaying opinions, changing stale tradition; Relaying opinions, changing like the weather.”like the weather.”

2) “Sending an open invitation; To all the 2) “Sending an open invitation; To all the pioneers driven by suspicion; The old pioneers driven by suspicion; The old world is gone; And we keep wishing for a world is gone; And we keep wishing for a new frontier; To sink our teeth in; And new frontier; To sink our teeth in; And forget what you thought you believed in.”forget what you thought you believed in.”

3) “And those who resisted; Were 3) “And those who resisted; Were dragged out from their homes; This dragged out from their homes; This necklace was fashioned out of their necklace was fashioned out of their teeth and bones.”teeth and bones.”

4) “Resistance is fleeting.”4) “Resistance is fleeting.”

Letter FormatLetter Format

DearDear ______________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________._____________________________.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________._________________________________.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.________________.

Sincerely,Sincerely,

(sign name)(sign name)

(print name)(print name)

Gothic FictionGothic Fiction It’s a genre of literature that combines both the It’s a genre of literature that combines both the

elements of elements of horrorhorror and and romanceromance..

The effect of Gothic fiction depends on a pleasing The effect of Gothic fiction depends on a pleasing sort of terror combined with romanticism.sort of terror combined with romanticism.

RomanticismRomanticism is a is a style of writingstyle of writing that expresses strong that expresses strong emotion as a source of experiencing the world. emotion as a source of experiencing the world. Interpretation of one’s life experience is based on their Interpretation of one’s life experience is based on their senses and emotions.senses and emotions.

A large emphasis is placed on A large emphasis is placed on emotionsemotions, and the , and the thrillsthrills of fearfulness and aweof fearfulness and awe, when confronting nature., when confronting nature.

Gothic fiction commonly Gothic fiction commonly includes:includes:

Physiological & physical Physiological & physical terror terror

Ghosts and haunted Ghosts and haunted houseshouses

IsolationIsolation CastlesCastles MadnessMadness DeathDeath DarknessDarkness

VillainsVillains ManiacsManiacs The DevilThe Devil GhostsGhosts DemonsDemons

Gothic fiction tends to Gothic fiction tends to cross boundaries and cross boundaries and go to the extreme!go to the extreme!

“…“…I watched the storm, so beautiful yet I watched the storm, so beautiful yet terrific…The thunder burst with a terrific terrific…The thunder burst with a terrific crash over my head; vivid flashes of crash over my head; vivid flashes of lightening dazzled my eyes, illuminating the lightening dazzled my eyes, illuminating the lake, making it appear like a vast sheet of lake, making it appear like a vast sheet of fire; then for an instant every thing seemed fire; then for an instant every thing seemed of a pitchy darkness, until the eye of a pitchy darkness, until the eye recovered itself from recovered itself from

the preceding flash. the preceding flash. The storm appeared The storm appeared in various parts of in various parts of the heavens.”the heavens.”

Horror & TerrorHorror & Terror HorrorHorror is the feeling of is the feeling of

disgust or shock which disgust or shock which occurs occurs afterafter something something frightening is seen, frightening is seen, heard, or experienced. heard, or experienced.

It is the feeling one gets It is the feeling one gets after coming to an awful after coming to an awful realization or realization or experiencing a deeply experiencing a deeply unpleasant occurrence. unpleasant occurrence.

TerrorTerror is the feeling of is the feeling of dread and eagerness dread and eagerness that comes that comes before before the the horrifying experience. horrifying experience.

HorrorHorror is related to is related to being shocked or being shocked or scared (being scared (being horrified).horrified).

TerrorTerror is related to is related to being anxious or fearful being anxious or fearful (being terrified).(being terrified).

ImageryImagery

ImageryImageryImageryImagery is descriptive language is descriptive language that evokes sensory experience. that evokes sensory experience.

“One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with film over

it.”

“Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran

cold.”

“ To think that there I was, opening the door, little by little, and he not

even to dream of my secret deeds or thoughts.”

“ His room was as black as pitch with the thick darkness…”

“and so I knew that he could not see the opening of the door, and I kept pushing it on steadily, steadily.”

“ A single dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot from out the crevice and full upon the vulture eye.”

“…Death, in approaching him, had stalked with his black shadow before him, and enveloped him.”

Scene & Actions That Occur

(Where & What)

Narratory Block Thought / Speech Bubble

Emanate / Sound Effect

Comic Strip Planning Sheet