Lesson 15
“A Poison Tree”
“Catacombs and Carnival”
Lesson Goals
-Analyze how an author
achieves specific effects of
tone and theme.
-Use context clues to clarify
the meaning of unknown or
ambiguous words
-Develop background
knowledge for “The Cask of
Amontillado”
Tone & Poem Review
1. What is tone?
2. Poetry Review: lines and stanzas
I was a dare devil,
I always raised the level,
I got bruises and scars,
But that didn't stop me from going bizarre
I would jump and skate,
But it wasn't my fate,
I have to find something else to do,
Before I don't have a clue
Activity 2.3 page 92
“A Poison Tree” by William Blake
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine,
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
Visualizing the Poem
8 groups, two lines per group
• You and your group will be
assigned a two line section
of the poem
• Together, you will discuss
what you all imagine these
two lines to look like –
picture it in your heads!
• Next to the two lines, draw
an image that represents
your group’s discussion
• Think about the themes
and ideas of the poem and
incorporate them in your
image
• When finishing, draw your
image in the corresponding
box on the board
Marking the text: Analyzing Poetry
• Let’s go back to the poem
and mark the following:
• Highlight the different word
choices the speaker uses to
describe revenge.
• Where does the speaker shift
in attitude (tone)? Mark a
star there!
• Describe the attitude of the
speaker in different places in
the poem (make a number
next to the line, then write
the notes about the attitude
in the margin)
• Paraphrase the last two lines
(put it in your own words
but keep it the same length).
• How does the poem end?
What causes this to happen?
Based off the last class
discussion and the
ideas of the poem,
what is our theme?
So the point is…
• What emotion does William Blake want us to feel after we
read his poem?
• How does he get us to feel that emotion? (use textual
evidence to support your answer)
Activity 2.4
Catacombs and Carnival
Carnival
• Poe’s story takes place in the catacombs
during Carnival, a celebration that still
takes place in many countries. The day
before Ash Wednesday is celebrated as a
holiday with carnivals, masquerade balls,
and parades of costumed merrymakers.
During Carnival, people celebrate by
disguising themselves as fools, wearing
parti-striped dress or motley, and capes,
known as roquelaires. Women would
celebrate, wearing conical caps. Carnival is
also called Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday,
because of the feasting that takes place
the day before Ash Wednesday. Starting
on Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning
of Lent, some Christians fast and do
penance for their sins.
• In general, masks have two important social functions: (1) they
provide a disguise for the wearer and (2) they allow the wearer to
assume the identity, at least temporarily, of some other person or
being.
• An individual in clown makeup, for example, is allowed in most
societies to behave in ways that would otherwise be deemed
inappropriate or offensive. This is certainly entertaining to the
viewers, but it also highlights and presumably conveys something
about the boundaries of what is appropriate in that particular
society.
• In religious rituals during these times, the person wearing the mask
often becomes the spirit being represented, or at least serves as a
medium through which the spirit is allowed to communicate with
the people, as in many American Indian and African societies.
Catacombs
• Centuries ago, in Italy, the early Christians buried their dead in catacombs, which
are long, winding underground tunnels. Later, wealthy families built private
catacombs beneath their palazzos, or palace-like homes. These dark and cool
chambers, or vaults, contained nitre, a crystallized salt growth. In order to find
their way in their underground tunnels, the owners would light torches or
flambeaux.
• These crypts were suitable not only for burial but also for storage of fine vintage
wines such as Amontillado, DeGrave, and Medoc. A wine expert, or connoisseur,
would store wine carefully in these underground vaults. Wine was stored in casks
or puncheons, which held 72 to 100 gallons, or in pipes, which contained 126
gallons (also known as two hogsheads).
• an eye and an ear out for Montressor’s revenge. How does he manipulate and
toy with Fortunato? Why would they go deep into the catacombs where nothing
but dusty bottles and ancient bones make their home? How does Poe create his
chilling, menacing, bloodcurdling tale?
• As you experience the story…
• http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/crypt-photos/
Activity 2.8
Introducing a Story of Revenge
Read and interpret the quotes on page 114 by writing the
meaning of each in your own words.
After reading and interpreting the quotations about revenge,
note which have striking imagery, and consider how the imagery
helps you understand the meaning of the quote. Next, choose
your favorite quote from above and explain how you might use
it as the basis for the conflict of a story between two characters.
Diffusing the Passage:
page 117
• As we read the first paragraph together, highlight unfamiliar
words.
• After we read the paragraph, we’ll define each individual
word.
• Then we’ll go back and reread the paragraph after
understanding the terms.
• Continue the last two paragraphs with you and a partner