The only thing you have to fear is...

What is so great about fear anyway?

How do you feel in moments of terror?  Do you hold your breath?  Do you laugh?  Why do you react as you do?

How do you explain the desire of people to be terrified?

As children, we delight in ghost stories told in the dark.  As adults, we read books or see movies that we know will scare us.  Why?


The Freshman English class will be beginning a study of language and suspense through short stories. Authors such as Edgar Allan Poe, Jack London, and Shirley Jackson will be looked at, with students analyzing:
1) How do suspense and fear build upon the entertainment factor of reading?
2) What can we learn about people and human nature by locating the fears of characters?
3) How does setting build suspense and move the plot forward?
4) What does each main character fear the most?
5) What separates the suspenseful short stories we've experienced in class from the traditional horror movies we might enjoy watching? How did the authors build suspense and fear?

Students will experience suspense stories in a multitude of ways in class. As a closing activity, students will be writing their own suspense stories building upon the five elements of a short story. Then, students will perform their stories using any of the mediums demonstrated in class (a reading, a recording, a short film, a skit, etc.).