holding irrational or untrue beliefs - in this context, as a result of mental illness.

unable to think clearly or behave with self-control

united and working together effectively to achieve a common goal

Planning a cohesive argument about 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

English

In 'A Monster Within', pupils explore extracts from Gothic fiction. In 'Gothic Poetry', pupils apply this learning to the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe.

In 'The Twisted Tree', pupils are introduced to the Gothic genre. In 'A Monster Within', pupils explore Gothic motifs in a range of more challenging texts.

In this unit, pupils explore the Gothic. They start by learning what the Gothic is, before reading extracts from 'Frankenstein' and 'Jane Eyre', practising descriptive writing and reading 'The Tell-Tale Heart'. They finally learn how to write opinion articles and then write their own.

A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction

Depiction or discussion of serious mental health issues including eating disorders, self-harm, suicide or attempted suicide, or the aftermath of such an event.

Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Which of the following words can be used as a synonym for 'insane'?

Which piece of vocabulary best describes the narrator's crimes in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

potential vocabulary you might want to use

the effects of the writer's use of methods

Which of the following does not need to be included in the supporting detail in a paragraph outline?

that guilt is the product of insanity and needs to be processed healthily

that guilt is inescapable and can drive a person to insanity if unresolved

that guilt is a normal human emotion that we must learn to handle

that humans shouldn't have to feel guilt - it is an unnecessary emotion

What is Poe's message about guilt in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

The dashes represent the narrator taking deep breaths between each noise.

The repetition shows the persistence of the narrator’s delusions.

“Louder” has two syllables, like a beating heart, so it's almost onomatopoeic.

The simile shows us how overwhelming the sound of the heart beating was.

The exclamation mark shows the narrator's enthusiasm for the noise.

What is the effect of this quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': “It grew louder—louder—louder!”?

"Swore" characterises the narrator as a rude and dislikeable person.

“Foamed” might remind us of a rabid dog - connotations of disease and madness

"Raved" shows how excited the narrator was - e.g "raving" about something

The triple shows the narrator’s escalating panic and stress

The pronoun "I" shows the narrator's selfishness, as he only thinks of himself

What is the effect of this quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': “I foamed—I raved—I swore!”?

Which two symbols are the focus of the narrator's delusions in 'The Tell-Tell Heart'?

What form does Poe's 'The Tell-Tale Heart' take?

Which two methods does Poe use in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' to show the narrator's escalating delusion?

Which language method does Poe use in the following quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': "It grew louder—louder—louder!"?

Complete the quotation from 'The Tell-Tale Heart': “Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed!—tear up the planks!—here, here!—It is the beating of his {{}} heart!”

It creates a likeable and relatable protagonist for the reader to root for.

It adds an element of mystery because we cannot trust what he says to be true.

It creates tension because we never know what he might do next.

It creates a more Gothic text because Gothic protagonists are always unreliable.

It allows Poe to be more creative with the plot and make it more dynamic.

What is the effect of Poe using an unreliable narrator in 'The Tell-Tale Heart'?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of serious crime

Depiction or discussion of mental health issues

Adult supervision required

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Planning a cohesive argument about 'The Tell-Tale Heart'

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

This lesson will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.