Twisting Expectations: Horror Short Stories

Lesson 6
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ELA

Unit 16

8th Grade

Lesson 6 of 20

Objective


Explain how characters' perspectives differ in "The Monkey's Paw."

Readings and Materials


  • Short Story: “The Monkey's Paw” by W. W. Jacobs 

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Target Task


Discussion & Writing Prompt

How does Mr. White's perspective on using the monkey's paw to make a second wish differ from his wife's? Provide specific evidence to support your ideas and carefully explain your thinking. 

Sample Response

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Key Questions


Key Questions

  • How does Jacobs develop a suspenseful mood in the first six paragraphs of the story? Provide specific evidence from these paragraphs and carefully explain your thinking. 

  • What is the sergeant-major's perspective of the monkey's paw? How does this differ from the way the White family sees it? Provide evidence from paragraphs 20–45 to support your answer. 

  • In paragraph 26, the sergeant-major explains that the person who put a spell on the paw "wanted to show that fate ruled people's lives, and that those who interfered with it did so to their sorrow." How does this story demonstrate that idea?  Carefully explain your thinking. 

Exit Ticket

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Vocabulary


Literary Terms

perspective

n.

a person's opinion or feelings about a specific topic/idea/event which can be revealed through their words, thoughts, and actions.

Text-based

peril

n.

serious and immediate danger (The Monkey's Paw)

aghast

adj.

filled with shock and horror (The Monkey's Paw)

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Common Core Standards


  • RL.8.2 — Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.
  • RL.8.3 — Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

Supporting Standards

L.8.6
RL.8.1
RL.8.2
RL.8.10
SL.8.1
SL.8.6
W.8.1
W.8.1.a
W.8.1.b
W.8.4
W.8.9
W.8.9.a
W.8.10

Next

Unpack a prompt, study a Mentor Text, and gather evidence in preparation for writing a paragraph response.

Lesson 7
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