In honor of Columbus Day, I remind you of the following, courtesy of The History Channel. For nearly a decade, Columbus lobbied European monarchies to bankroll his quest to discover a western sea route to Asia. In Portugal, England and France, the response was the same: no. That’s right. Portugal, England, and France missed an […]
Three Stupid Characters in American Literature
October 12, 2015 By Trenton Lorcher
Filed Under: Books, Cask of Amontillado, Edgar Allan Poe, Literary Analysis
“The Pit and the Pendulum” Movie
August 10, 2015 By Trenton Lorcher
The summer of YouTube movies based on short stories is sadly coming to an end. I searched for “The Pit and the Pendulum” movie, and came across an assortment of films, most of them totally inappropriate for classroom use. This is the best “Pit and the Pendulum” movie for classroom use. It’s claymation at its […]
Filed Under: Edgar Allan Poe, Movies, Pit and the Pendulum, Short Stories
Edgar Allan Poe at His Absolute Horrific Best
August 6, 2015 By Trenton Lorcher
I share with you one of the most beautifully horrific passages in American Literature. It comes from Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum.” It’s a description of the rats in the dungeons of Toledo, for whom the narrator finds a use. Oh, before we get to the passage, here’s a lesson plan that […]
Filed Under: Edgar Allan Poe, Literary Analysis, Pit and the Pendulum, Short Stories