7.

ELAALRL1 The student demonstrates comprehension by identifying evidence (i.e., examples of diction, imagery, point of view, figurative language, symbolism, plot events and main ideas) in a variety of texts representative of different genres (i.e., poetry, prose [short story, novel, essay, editorial, biography], and drama) and using this evidence as the basis for interpretation.


ELAALRL2 The student identifies, analyzes, and applies knowledge of theme in a work of American literature and provides evidence from the work to support understanding.

"The raven in the poem is an obvious symbol of death. The raven is a creature that is very much a part of the imagination of essentially all people from the English speaking world and throughout Europe."

ELAALRL3 The student deepens understanding of literary works by relating them to their contemporary context or historical background, as well as to works from other time periods.

"The novel exemplifies the differences between the Transcendentalists and the Dark Romantics vividly.

"This hideous murder accomplished, I set myself forthwith, and with entire deliberation, to the task of concealing the body. I knew that I could not remove it from the house, either by day or by night, without the risk of being observed by the neighbors. Many projects entered my mind. At one period I thought of cutting the corpse into minute fragments, and destroying them by fire. At another, I resolved to dig a grave for it in the floor of the cellar. Again, I deliberated about casting it in the well in the yard -- about packing it in a box, as if merchandize, with the usual arrangements, and so getting a porter to take it from the house. Finally I hit upon what I considered a far better expedient than either of these. I determined to wall it up in the cellar -- as the monks of the middle ages are recorded to have walled up their victims."

This quote shows the character cooly contemplating how best to dispose of the body of his wife, but moments after he slew her in a fit of rage. A Transcendentalist would not have described such a horrible act. But that is the great failing of their school of thought; the act described in the Poe story is a grimly realistic and cruel act of humanity. The Transcendtalists seemed to give only lip service to the fact that human beings can be truly cruel and evil things; Dark Romantics like Poe showed all perspectives of the human spirit and the human soul."