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1. “Masque of the Red Death”
Edgar Allan Poe
Symbolism, Allegory
and Imagery

2. Symbolism, Allegory, Imagery…
Why Learn Them?
 Understand and appreciate the broader meaning of a
literary work
 Is The Old Man and the Sea really just a story about a
fishing trip gone bad?
 Enhance your writing, allowing you to convey more
nuanced meaning with every sentence

3. Symbolism
 Symbolism: a writer’s use of symbols in which a
place, thing or event stands for a larger idea
 A dog can be a symbol of…
 A rose can be a symbol of…
 A dove can be a symbol of…
 May be subtle and open to interpretation
 Can help reader understand and appreciate broader
meaning of a work

4. Exercise: Symbolism
 In your notebook, create two columns: SYMBOLS
and POSSIBLE MEANINGS
 In the first column, three concrete objects
 In the second column, explain what each object might
symbolize
 Exchange with your partner--what else might these
objects symbolize?

5. Allegory
 A story in which all characters, settings, events and
actions are symbolic
 Teaches a lesson or reveals a truth
 Example: “The Tortoise and the Hare”
 What do the characters and setting symbolize?
 What is the moral of the story?

6. Imagery
 The use of figurative or descriptive
language to create a vivid mental
picture
 Involves at least one of the five
senses--sight, sound, touch, smell,
taste
 Helps to establish the mood of the
piece

7. Imagery: Examples
 The following images might be used to describe a
stroll on a summer night:
 Sight - a full moon in a black sky Sound - the chirp of
crickets Taste - the tang of a cold glass of
lemonade Touch - a warm breeze Smell - freshly
mowed grass

8. Exercise: Imagery
 Make a five column chart in your notebook
 Label each column with one sense:
 Sight Sound Touch Taste Smell
 Now imagine a perfect Saturday morning
 Fill in chart, describing the sights, sounds, etc. of your
perfect Saturday morning
 Monday morning?
 How do your descriptions impact the mood?

9. “Masque of the Red Death”
 Author: Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)
 Known for tales of horror and the macabre
 Pioneered detective stories and science fiction
 Troubled life
 Orphaned at young age when father abandoned family
and mother died of tuberculosis
 At age 26, married 13-year-old cousin who died 11
years later of tuberculosis
 Died mysteriously after being found on the streets of
Baltimore—speculation includes alcoholism, heart
disease, even rabies

10. Background:
The Black Death
 One of the most devastating pandemics in human history,
peaking in Europe between 1348-1350
 Killed 25 million people, 30-60% of Europe’s population
 Spread by infected rats and flea bites
 Started with appearance of buboes (tender, enlarged lymph nodes
under the armpits, in the neck, or in the groin)
 Most died a horrific death within 3-5 days

11. Background:
The Black Plague
“They died by the hundreds, both day
and night, and all were thrown in ...
ditches and covered with earth. And
as soon as those ditches were filled,
more were dug. And I, Agnolo di Tura
... buried my five children with my
own hands ... And so many died that
all believed it was the end of the
world.”
—The Plague in Siena: An Italian
Chronicle

12. The Black Plague: Watch it!
Links to video backgrounders on the Black Death
4 min trailer from the History Channel (note, due to some
graphic images, recommended for ages 14+):
 http://www.history.com/topics/black-
death/videos/mankind-the-story-of-all-of-us-the-plague
From YouTube, a teacher’s 18-min edited version of a
History Channel program (not copyrighted, strictly for
classroom use only):
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJfVmGQNM5Y

13. “Masque of the Red Death”
Vocabulary
With a partner, find the definitions for the following words. Write them in
your notebook. Include a visual representation for each to help you
remember meaning.
 Profuse
 August
 Impede
 Cessation
 Decorum
 Tangible

14. “Masque of the Red Death”
Vocabulary
 Profuse—an overflowing amount of
 August—majestic, impressive
 Impede—to block, stop, get in the way of
 Cessation—a stopping or halting
 Decorum—behavior that is polite and proper for
the occasion
 Tangible—able to be touched