Macabre Poetry

In “beware: do not read this poem,” to what does the speaker compare the

poem?

• another poem about a horrifying event in a strange house

• a horror movie, which is meant to terrify audience members

• the mirror in a horror movie, into which people disappear

• a horror tale, in which people are pursued by an eerie woman

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Which of the following best describes the interaction between the speaker and the raven in “The Raven”?

• The speaker at first welcomes the raven into his home, but he grows terrified of it and eventually chases it off.

• The raven repeatedly utters one word, "Nevermore," which the speaker interprets in various ways as a comment on his life.

• The speaker lets the raven into his home because he believes it knows his beloved, Lenore, and he wishes for news of her.

• The speaker lets the raven into his home because it reminds him of his beloved, Lenore, and he wishes to reminisce about her.

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What does the speaker in "The Raven" feel when he first thinks that Lenore may be at his door?

• joy and passion

• terror and hope

• relief and pleasure

• confusion and melancholy

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What happens to the child in “Windigo”?

• The child is terrified by a nightmare about a horrible creature.

• The child is frightened and runs into the deep woods with a dog.

• The child is kidnapped and carried into the woods by the Windigo.

• The child is scolded by the mother for knocking a kettle into the fire.

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Part A

Read the following excerpt from “beware: do not read this poem.”

you are into this poem. from

the waist down

nobody can hear you can they?

this poem has had you up to here

belch

this poem aint got no manners

Which of the following features of the stanza most clearly contribute to its distinctive style, or individual quality?

• its use of words such as waist and manners

• the fact that it addresses the reader as you

• the use of breaks between lines and of a question mark

• the missing punctuation and use of slang such aint

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Read the following excerpt from “beware: do not read this poem.”

you are into this poem. from

the waist down

nobody can hear you can they?

this poem has had you up to here

belch

this poem aint got no manners

What is most clearly the effect of the feature identified in Part A?

• It is easier for the reader to follow the poet's meaning.

• It helps the reader feel comfortable and at ease, as if the poet is a friend.

• It makes the poem seem more direct, as if the poet is saying exactly what he is thinking.

• It helps the reader picture what is going on without having to pause frequently to reread.

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Read the following stanza from “The Raven.”

But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust, and door;

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

Meant in croaking, “Nevermore.”

Which aspect of this stanza most clearly adds to the feeling of tension or dread in these lines?

• the rhyme of "beguiling" and "smiling" in the first line and "sinking" and "linking" in the third line, suggesting a growing sadness

• the series "bird, and bust, and door" in the second line, suggesting a clear progression toward madness

• the addition of a number of descriptive words to "ominous bird of yore" in the fifth line, suggesting a growing frenzy

• the use of the word croaking in the last line, suggesting a growing fear of the raven

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The following question has two parts. Answer Part A first, and then Part B.

Part A

Read the following stanza from “Windigo.”

You knew I was coming for you, little one,

when the kettle jumped into the fire.

Towels flapped on the hooks,

and the dog crept off, groaning,

to the deepest part of the woods.

What general feelings are conveyed by the details in this stanza?

• excitement and joy

• nervousness and tension

• stillness and peacefulness

• determination and dedication

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Read the following stanza from “Windigo.”

You knew I was coming for you, little one,

when the kettle jumped into the fire.

Towels flapped on the hooks,

and the dog crept off, groaning,

to the deepest part of the woods.

Part B

In what way do the details in the stanza presented in Part A help convey the feeling identified?

• They suggest that physical objects and animals are reacting to an uncanny, invisible presence.

• They suggest that someone is returning home to enjoy some tea and perhaps attend to a pet.

• They suggest that the little one's parent will move anything that prevents him or her from helping his or her child.

• They suggest that a storm that had affected the area is now dying down and the things it disturbed are settling into place.

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Which statement best summarizes the theme in “beware: do not read this poem”?

• Many people go missing every year, and no one cares enough to find out why.

• Whenever someone commits to reading a poem, he or she risks getting caught up in it.

• Reading poems, or looking into mirrors, is a poor substitute for living a full and active life.

• People who are self-centered never change; even in old age, they think only about themselves.

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