"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe
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Complete the following questions. Use the theory you will find in the Resources Unit and the notes from the Ethics unit. This will help you review for the essay and for the exam.
“The Cask of Amontillado”
Edgar Allen Poe
(*You can listen to a reading of this story on YouTube.)
Vocabulary:
Look up:
genre macabre imagery utterance impunity
unredressed retribution wont imposture vintages
nitre pipe (of wine) mere repose azure
rampant palazzo crypt catacombs mortal
Dramatic monologue
1. Draw a plot peak and label it with the events of the story.
2. In 2 or 3 complete sentences summarize the story. This is an exercise in brevity. Do
not be wordy.
3. Where does this story take place? You will have to speculate to answer this question.
Ask yourself what is going on at the time the story takes place.
4. How does Montresor get Fortunato to go into the vaults with him? What are these
vaults they visit?
5. Who are the stonemasons?
6. Why does Montresor keep asking Fortunato if he wants to go back?
7. What is Montresor’s family motto? Why is this important to the story?
8. Is Fortunato’s intoxication important to the outcome of the story?
9. What type of narrator is Montresor?
10. This is a story heavy with irony. Locate 6 examples of irony. Quote from the story. Classify each as verbal, situational or dramatic.
11. According to Montresor, what is necessary for the perfect revenge? By this standard,
is Montresor’s revenge perfect?
12. At the end of the story Montresor claims that “My heart grew sick;” How does he
explain this? Is there another explanation?
13. Poe uses specific words to develop a particular atmosphere in the story. What
atmosphere is he trying to convey? List 5 phrases or words that develop that imagery.
14. Choose 5 words from the character trait sheet that clearly describe Montresor and 5
words that describe Fortunato.
Complete the following questions. Use the theory you will find in the Resources Unit and the notes from the Ethics unit. This will help you review for the essay and for the exam.
“The Cask of Amontillado”
Edgar Allen Poe
(*You can listen to a reading of this story on YouTube.)
Vocabulary:
Look up:
genre macabre imagery utterance impunity
unredressed retribution wont imposture vintages
nitre pipe (of wine) mere repose azure
rampant palazzo crypt catacombs mortal
Dramatic monologue
1. Draw a plot peak and label it with the events of the story.
2. In 2 or 3 complete sentences summarize the story. This is an exercise in brevity. Do
not be wordy.
3. Where does this story take place? You will have to speculate to answer this question.
Ask yourself what is going on at the time the story takes place.
4. How does Montresor get Fortunato to go into the vaults with him? What are these
vaults they visit?
5. Who are the stonemasons?
6. Why does Montresor keep asking Fortunato if he wants to go back?
7. What is Montresor’s family motto? Why is this important to the story?
8. Is Fortunato’s intoxication important to the outcome of the story?
9. What type of narrator is Montresor?
10. This is a story heavy with irony. Locate 6 examples of irony. Quote from the story. Classify each as verbal, situational or dramatic.
11. According to Montresor, what is necessary for the perfect revenge? By this standard,
is Montresor’s revenge perfect?
12. At the end of the story Montresor claims that “My heart grew sick;” How does he
explain this? Is there another explanation?
13. Poe uses specific words to develop a particular atmosphere in the story. What
atmosphere is he trying to convey? List 5 phrases or words that develop that imagery.
14. Choose 5 words from the character trait sheet that clearly describe Montresor and 5
words that describe Fortunato.
RADIO PLAY
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Essential Questions:
Introduction:
-The most famous radio play: “The War of the Worlds”
- listen to a portion of the play. You can find this on YouTube. Listen to the broadcast, rather than watch the trailer.
Process:
1. Use the following links to research the best practices of the genre.
a. http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/features/howtowrite/radio.shtml
b. On this BBC website you will be given instructions on how to lay out your play. Follow those instructions.
2. (Additional Reference: Pick up a Reference Points You might review page 205 – which will give you a format. Remember that the radio play requires significantly more audio cues. Those cues must be incorporated into the script.)
3. Map out the story using a plot peak. This will allow you to identify the most important parts of the story. Re-write the story (“The Cask of Amontillado”) so that it can become an 8 minute Radio Play. SELECT ONLY THE MOST IMPORTANT DETAILS. REVIEW THE PLOT PEAK BEFORE YOU CHOOSE.
4. Create an 8 minute radio play. Write the script, then record it. Incorporate one advertisement that adds to the effect of your play. It should be 20 seconds in length. The overall time is EXACTLY 8 MINUTES.
5. Select people from your group to be readers. Choose wisely according to their voices.
6. Add music and sound effects to build atmosphere and mood.
7. Find a quiet space to record the play. You must be able to control the sounds that are important to the story. Uncontrolled ambient sound is not acceptable. I have extra microphones if you need them.
8. Save your play as a wmv, mp3 or m4a or mp4 audio file. This calls for an export of the file.
9. Mac people – use GarageBand. Pc’s use Audacity.
- What are the elements of sound and voice that contribute to mood and atmosphere?
- What techniques offer the most impact to an audio presentation? How does style of presentation affect the impact?
- How can we create a podcast that offers a significant experience through sound and tone?
- How can we increase impact of an oral presentation by attending to enunciation and pronunciation?
Introduction:
-The most famous radio play: “The War of the Worlds”
- listen to a portion of the play. You can find this on YouTube. Listen to the broadcast, rather than watch the trailer.
Process:
1. Use the following links to research the best practices of the genre.
a. http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/features/howtowrite/radio.shtml
b. On this BBC website you will be given instructions on how to lay out your play. Follow those instructions.
2. (Additional Reference: Pick up a Reference Points You might review page 205 – which will give you a format. Remember that the radio play requires significantly more audio cues. Those cues must be incorporated into the script.)
3. Map out the story using a plot peak. This will allow you to identify the most important parts of the story. Re-write the story (“The Cask of Amontillado”) so that it can become an 8 minute Radio Play. SELECT ONLY THE MOST IMPORTANT DETAILS. REVIEW THE PLOT PEAK BEFORE YOU CHOOSE.
4. Create an 8 minute radio play. Write the script, then record it. Incorporate one advertisement that adds to the effect of your play. It should be 20 seconds in length. The overall time is EXACTLY 8 MINUTES.
5. Select people from your group to be readers. Choose wisely according to their voices.
6. Add music and sound effects to build atmosphere and mood.
7. Find a quiet space to record the play. You must be able to control the sounds that are important to the story. Uncontrolled ambient sound is not acceptable. I have extra microphones if you need them.
8. Save your play as a wmv, mp3 or m4a or mp4 audio file. This calls for an export of the file.
9. Mac people – use GarageBand. Pc’s use Audacity.