Edgar Allan Poe at His Absolute Horrific Best

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 […]

Great Essay Topic: Which Literary Character Would Win a Hunger Games Fight to the Death?

I just read “The Lottery” for the first time in over 30 years. As with most things from my youth, it was a lot better in my youth. And like most things as an adult, it gave me a great essay topic. But before we get to the great essay topic, here’s my review of […]

“The Yellow Wallpaper” Analysis, Summary, and Lesson Plan

I read “The Yellow Wallpaper” again the other day and found it fantastically chilling, which led me to question my initial dislike for the story years ago when I read it the first time. After several seconds of thought I realized I had read it in college and the woman who taught it was advancing […]