Year 8 - English
Planning a Gothic description inspired by 'A monster within'
A monster within: reading and writing Gothic fiction
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
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.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to generate ideas for your Gothic description.
Key Notes
- Your Gothic writing should not simply be a horror story - you can create fear through atmosphere and mood.
- Gothic literature is characterised by a sense of threat, but this does not have to be violent threat.
- Semantic fields, pathetic fallacy and figurative language are methods that Gothic writers can use to create atmosphere.
- It can be useful to plan your use of methods before you begin writing, to make sure you are using them effectively.
Vocabulary To Learn
- Gothic literature: literature that evokes feelings of mystery, fear and terror
- reminiscent: when something reminds us of something else
- to conceal: to hide or to disguise
- dingy: gloomy, dark and drab
- to mystify: to utterly bewilder or shock someone - to make someone confused
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Students think that if they write a horror story that is full of blood and gore, that this makes it Gothic.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this English learning goal in two key points.
Your Gothic writing should not simply be a horror story - you can create fear through atmosphere and mood. Gothic literature is characterised by a sense of threat, but this does not have to be violent threat.
2. Define this language term and use it in a sentence. 'Gothic literature'
literature that evokes feelings of mystery, fear and terror.
3. Correct this common English misunderstanding.
Mistake: Students think that if they write a horror story that is full of blood and gore, that this makes it Gothic. Correction: Gothic literature is about unsettling and mystifying the reader - not traumatising them with gory descriptions and extreme violence. There can be more fear in what is not revealed, than what is revealed.
More Lessons In This Unit
- 'Frankenstein' and the Gothic context Study Guide
- A written analysis of 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- A written analysis of 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- An introduction to 'Jane Eyre': Analysing an unseen extract Study Guide
- Analysing effective opinion articles Study Guide
- Analysing the atmosphere at Thornfield Hall in 'Jane Eyre' Study Guide
- Context for Gothic literature: science and religion in the 19th century Study Guide
- Editing descriptive writing based on 'A monster within' Study Guide
- Exploring the character of Victor Frankenstein in Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- Frankenstein's reaction to his creation Study Guide
- Frankenstein's regret and the scientific revolution Study Guide
- Identifying features of the Gothic genre in the plot of 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- Improving your opinion article on Gothic literature Study Guide
- Lowood Institution: Gothic settings in 'Jane Eyre' Study Guide
- Organising our gothic writing to build tension Study Guide
- Planning a cohesive argument about 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- Planning a written analysis of 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- Planning an opinion article about Gothic literature Study Guide
- Reading 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- Reading an extract from 'Frankenstein': A fateful night Study Guide
- Reading an extract from Charlotte Brontë's 'Jane Eyre' Study Guide
- Regret in Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein' Study Guide
- Symbolism in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- The creation of suspense in 'The Tell-Tale Heart' Study Guide
- The structure of an opinion article Study Guide
- Using 'Jane Eyre' to inspire our use of gothic vocabulary Study Guide
- Using description in functional writing Study Guide
- Using figurative language to create a gothic atmosphere Study Guide
- Using semantic fields to create a gothic atmosphere Study Guide
- Writing a gothic description Study Guide
- Writing an opinion article on Gothic literature Study Guide
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