Using figurative language to create a gothic atmosphere 

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.

A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

language that you have to decode to work out what the writer is trying to say

any language method that a writer can use

language that is meaningful, but not literally true

any language that creates vivid imagery in the reader's mind

Which of the following are figurative language methods? 

when the weather reflects the mood of the main character

when the writer moves the text forward into the future

it makes your writing sound more sophisticated 

it makes your reader like your characters more

it creates vivid imagery by giving the reader a point of comparison

it creates a sense of uncertainty for the reader

Why is using figurative language useful in descriptive writing?

He lived about three miles away, in a gnarly neighbourhood. 

The great trees had thick and gnarly branches.

The old man's gnarly fingers were knotted together tightly.

She had thick, fluttering eyelashes that were gnarly.

Which of the following sentences uses the word 'gnarly' correctly? 

Imagine you are writing a Gothic description of a lady's face. Which of the following animals might you compare her face to? 

when the weather reflects the mood (usually of the main character)

giving something that is not an animal, animal characteristics

using 'like' or 'as' to compare two things that are not the same

comparing two things that are not the same, by stating that one 'is' the other

when the word sounds like the noise it represents

Which of the following is an example of onomatopoeia? 

The lightning cracked like a whip overhead

The teacher hissed an inaudible silencing command in his direction

The trees danced freely in the warm summer breeze

She could see him, prowling through the aisles, his narrow eyes flashing

They came thundering down the corridor like a herd of wild elephants

Which of the following is an example of zoomorphism? 

Starting with the first, put the following words in order from most loud to least loud. 

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Adult supervision recommended

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

Using figurative language to create a gothic atmosphere

Lesson outcome

Content guidance

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