1. Allie Niehaus Lesson Plan 2
Gothic Literature
Introduction to Gothic Literature
Allie Niehaus
Lesson Plan 2
Allie Niehaus
Lesson Plan 2

2. Objective May, 5
Students will demonstrate their knowledge of characteristics of Gothic Literature in order to write a short story.

3. Opener
Think about the last time you saw a scary movie. What happens to your body physically when you get scared? What do you see, hear or feel that makes you scared?

4. Why a turn to Gothic Literature? Competing artistic principles emerge
Beauty VS
based in classical reason, proportion and order.
Sublime
strange beauty, felt, not rational.

5. Why the terror? *French Revolution, 1798:
monarchy & all art and buildings. connected to the Church destroyed.
*The terror that followed shaped the imagination of the Romantic Period writers greatly
many Romantics spent time in Europe and sympathized with political agitators but chaotic violence and anarchy troubled them.

6. Examples of Gothic Literature
The writings of Edgar Allan Poe
Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein
Bram Stoker’s Dracula

7. Elements of the Gothic… Settings
Castles
Far off exotic places
Dark woods
Laboratories
Basements
Caves
Catacombs
Extreme
weather
Attics
Mazes
Windings stair cases

8. Characters Villain/Vice Hero Damsel in Distress
-has a sickness in the body or mind
-Dominating and violent
-may pose as a hero in the beginning but experiences a crucial fall from grace
-has heroic qualities but uses them to manipulate and force his power upon other.
Mr. Hyde, Professor Moriarty, Lord Voldemort, Cat woman
Hero
-whose true identity might not be revealed until the end
An idealized but flawed character
May be self destructive, self critical and jaded.
Romeo, Othello, Jake Sully, Van Helsing, Heracles
Damsel in Distress
-Beautiful, young and dramatic
-helpless and in need of rescue
Rapunzel, Lois Lane, Princess Peach

9. Plot dominant figure trying to impose power plot-driven by violence
Being chased or captured
plot-driven by violence
Murder, battles or war
Being lost in dark, unfamiliar, possibly evil place
characters are completely isolated
known taboos, incest, sexual threat

10. Atmosphere: The emotional feelings inspired by a work
Touch- Introduce touch by describing textures and surfaces.
Hearing - Hearing creates atmosphere as well as painting a picture by describing the sounds of the scene.
Smell- Your sense of smell is directly linked to your memory. This can be a powerful tool in eliciting emotions.
Sight- It is important to create a mental image for your reader. Describing what your characters see can be a very useful tool.
Taste- If relevant, be sure to include the sense of taste as well.

11. Themes dark side of human nature search for identity social alienation
Duality – Dr.Jekle and Mr. Hyde
search for identity
social alienation
search for truth
Frankenstein

12. Assignment
Now we are going to use what we just learned about the conventions of Gothic Literature to write short stories in small groups. Be sure to choose an appropriate Gothic setting, characters and plot from the examples we discussed today. Remember to create a sense of atmosphere by using your senses.
Before we get started I will read you my short story as an example.

13. Review / Closer
Keeping our objective in mind, we are now going to watch the following video clip in order to locate at least 5 gothic conventions.
This could be characters, setting, plot, atmosphere…
Today’s objective: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of characteristics of Gothic Literature in order to write a short story.
*On the back of your paper write if we achieved today’s objective or not. Also write down one question or one thing you did not understand about today’s lesson