Allegory and Symbols

1. Allegory and Symbols 1. Party guests 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.

2. 2. Prince Prospero’s abbey 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.

3. Allegory and Symbols 3. The black room 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.

4. Allegory and Symbol 4.The tripods with the flames: What is represents: They represent light, heat, life. How it helps teach the lesson: Like the party goers, the tripods are snuffed out at the end by death.

5. “The Masque of Red Death” Analyzing Literature WorksheetUnderstanding Allegory 5. The masked visitor/uninvited guest What it represents: It represents the Red Death, 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

6. Allegory and Symbols 6. Ebony clock What it represents: The clock represents our time on earth. 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).

7. 7. The seven rooms What it represents: The stages of life How it helps teach the lesson: The rooms begin in the east and end in the west. The seventh room represents death. No matter where our journey begins, it will always end with death. 1st room= blue 3rd=green 5th=white 2nd=purple 4th= orange 6th=violet 7th=black and red

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

9. 9. Masquerade ball • 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.

10. Allegory and Symbol 3. The music What is 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.

11. Essay topic: • Discuss how Edgar Allen Poe uses symbols to develop his theme—no one can escape death. • Sample thesis: Edgar Allen Poe uses symbols in “The Masque of Red Death” to develop the theme that no matter how hard one tries, no one can escape death.

12. Topic sentence: Poe uses characters to show how pointless and vain it is to attempt to avoid death. • For example, • This shows that • This is important because

13. Topic sentence: Poe’s use of setting and its characteristics also illustrate the futility of trying to keep death away. • For instance,

14. Topic sentence: Poe’s use of symbolic objects helps to develop the theme that no one is safe from death.