What it represents: They represent humanity/ human beings. How it helps teach the lesson: Although the party guests isolate themselves, they still die from the Red Death, thus showing no one can escape death.

What it represents: The abbey is a physical barrier to the disease, an escape from the disease How it helps teach the lesson: Even though Prince Prospero thinks he can build a castle strong enough to keep death out, death still penetrates the castle walls.

What it represents: The wealthy, privileged people; the upper class. How it helps teach the lesson: The wealthy think they can avoid suffering and death or think they are above the powers of mortality, but they are not.

What it represents: An attempt to have fun/ avoid unpleasant things by pretending everything is okay. How it helps teach the lesson: People have a hard time facing their mortality or a serious problem, so they simply ignore it.

What it represents: It represents the grave, a coffin, forebodes of death (the red symbolizes blood). How it helps teach the lesson: It shows that death is the final resting place for all.

What it represents: The stages of life : infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, pantaloon (a foolish old man), second childhood (ultimately death)—from Shakespeare’s As You Like It. How it helps teach the lesson: The rooms begin in the east and end in the west (the sun rises and the sun sets). The seventh room represents death. No matter where our journey begins, it will always end with death. blue, purple, green, orange, white,violet, black

All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages. At first, the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. From As You Like It by William Shakespeare

And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eyebrow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honor, sudden and quick in quarrel, Seeking the bubble reputation Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly with good capon lined, With eyes severe and beard of formal cut, Full of wise saws and modern instances; And so he plays his part.

The sixth age shifts into the lean and slippered pantaloon, With spectacles on nose and pouch on side; His youthful hose, well saved, a world too wide For his shrunk shank, and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness and mere oblivion, Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.

What it represents: The seven deadly sins: pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed, sloth. (Biblical reference: Proverbs) How it helps teach the lesson: The seven deadly sins underlie all that is wrong in the world and are attributed to the selfish causes of human behavior, the actual reasons why we hurt each other.

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity. Envy is the desire to have others' possessions, status, abilities, or situation. Envy is also known as Jealousy. Gluttony is an excessive desire to overeat.

Lust is an excessive craving for the pleasures of the body. Anger is manifested in the individual who has a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility. It is also known as Wrath. Greed is the excessive desire for material wealth or gain. It is also Covetousness. Sloth is laziness.

What it represents: It represents life or the tempo of life. How it helps teach the lesson: It gives us a sense of vulnerability; each time it is stilled by the chiming of the clock, we recognize life is fleeting.

What it represents: The clock represents our time on earth, our life span. How it helps teach the lesson: The chimes are a constant reminder of the time we have left on earth. Time is still ticking onwards (like the beating of a heart).

What it represents: It represents the Red Death, the plague, death in general. How it helps teach the lesson(develops the theme): It shows us that we cannot escape death, no matter how hard we try. Death will come looking for us.

What it represents: They represent light and hope. Hope can be seen in the strength of a small flame. How it helps teach the lesson: Like the party goers, the tripods are snuffed out at the end by death. Once all the revelers are dead, hope can no longer be achieved. There is no one left to keep hope alive.

“He had come like a thief in the night.” This Biblical allusion: “the Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night,” refers to the Judgment Day. Many believe that on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word and every careless deed they have committed against their fellow man. Appropriately, this symbolizes that Prince Prospero and his guests have arrived at their “Judgment Day.”

Wealth cannot save you from death. There is no escaping death. Everyone is on the same playing field where death is concerned.