Title - A Ghost Story

By - Melanie Marchand
Primary Subject - Language Arts
Secondary Subjects - Language Arts
Grade Level - 11-12

Short Story Unit

Class Duration Content
Introduction 1-2 classes Short Story Elements; includes brainstorm, handout, quiz.
Mark Twain's Ghost Elements; includes group work, re-working a paragraph of
1 class
Story the story
Lesson includes biographical information, writing style,
The Reaper's Image, by
1 class application of elements to contemporary story. Assign
Stephen King
culminating activity (see below).
Shirley Jackson's The
1 class Plot & theme; includes comparison to current events.
Lottery
Richard Connell's The
3-4 classes Setting and Character; includes watching movie
Most Dangerous Game
Compares styles of stories that were emphasised. Work on
Conclusion 1 class
culminating activity.

A Short Story Overview – Lesson 1

Purpose: It is important that students are exposed to many different aspects of writing. The short
story is a very manageable segment of writing; therefore the quick progression that is possible
with short story should keep the students interested. As well, this unit gives the students a chance
to cultivate writing skills in a creative way. This unit also enhances students' analytical skills by
identifying the various elements contained within the short story.

Objectives: When this unit is finished, the students will have:

1. Been exposed to the elements of the short story.
2. Further developed functional writing skills in accordance with their ability.
3. Read a selection of short stories.
4. Had experience in creatively writing a short story.

Resources: Stories (Mark Twain, Ghost Story; Stephen King, The Reaper's Image; Shirley
Jackson, The Lottery; Richard Connell, The Most Dangerous Game); Movie (either The Blair
Witch Project or Hitchcock's Psycho); Various Web-sites (see lesson plans).

A Ghost Story - Lesson 2

Purpose ~ To familiarise students with the central and defining elements of the short
story, through application.
Objectives ~ Upon completion of this lesson students will have:
1. Read "A Ghost Story" by Mark Twain;
2. Discussed the short story;
3. Demonstrated an understanding of the central elements of the short story, and be able
to point them out;

Activities/Procedures ~
1. As a class we will read aloud Mark Twain's "A Ghost Story". Students may either
volunteer to read parts, or I will read the story to the class. (Create a mood, dim the lights,
pull the curtains, perhaps play some dreary music in the background.)
2. Following reading the story the class will then discuss "A Ghost Story". Was it scary,
suspenseful, and exciting? Who was the narrator? Where did the events take place? Etc.
3. Next I will refer to the handout of the elements of a short story. The class will then
break into groups, in which they will use the handout to find the elements of "A Ghost
Story".
4. Each group will then have the opportunity to discuss their results, and support them
with parts of the story. At this time I will address any further questions that arise.

Homework: Students will be asked to right one additional paragraph that might be added
to "A Ghost Story", either in the beginning, middle, or end. The paragraph must alter one
of the elements of the story in some way. This will be handed in next class.

E-Mail Melanie Marchand!

A Ghost Story - Mark Twain

I TOOK a large room, far up Broadway, in a huge old building whose upper stories had
been wholly unoccupied for years, until I came. The place had long been given up to dust
and cobwebs, to solitude and silence. I seemed groping among the tombs and invading
the privacy of the dead, that first night I climbed up to my quarters. For the first time in
my life a superstitious dread came over me; and as I turned a dark angle of the stairway
and an invisible cobweb swung its slazy woof in my face and clung there, I shuddered as
one who had encountered a phantom.
I was glad enough when I reached my room and locked out the mould and the darkness. A
cheery fire was burning in the grate, and I sat down before it with a comforting sense of
relief. For two hours I sat there, thinking of bygone times; recalling old scenes, and
summoning half-forgotten faces out of the mists of the past; listening, in fancy, to voices
that long ago grew silent for all time, and to once familiar songs that nobody sings now.
And as my reverie softened down to a sadder and sadder pathos, the shrieking of the
winds outside softened to a wail, the angry beating of the rain against the panes
diminished to a tranquil patter, and one by one the noises in the street subsided, until the
hurrying foot-steps of the last belated straggler died away in the distance and left no
sound behind.
The fire had burned low. A sense of loneliness crept over me. I arose and undressed,
moving on tiptoe about the room, doing stealthily what I had to do, as if I were environed
by sleeping enemies whose slumbers it would be fatal to break. I covered up in bed, and
lay listening to the rain and wind and the faint creaking of distant shutters, till they lulled
me to sleep.
I slept profoundly, but how long I do not know. All at once I found myself awake, and
filled with a shuddering expectancy. All was still. All but my own heart -- I could hear it
beat. Presently the bedclothes began to slip away slowly toward the foot of the bed, as if
some one were pulling them! I could not stir; I could not speak. Still the blankets slipped
deliberately away, till my breast was uncovered. Then with a great effort I seized them
and drew them over my head. I waited, listened, waited. Once more that steady pull
began, and once more I lay torpid a century of dragging seconds till my breast was naked
again. At last I roused my energies and snatched the covers back to their place and held
them with a strong grip. I waited. By and by I felt a faint tug, and took a fresh grip. The
tug strengthened to a steady strain -- it grew stronger and stronger. My hold parted, and
for the third time the blankets slid away. I groaned. An answering groan came from the
foot of the bed! Beaded drops of sweat stood upon my forehead. I was more dead than
alive. Presently I heard a heavy footstep in my room -- the step of an elephant, it seemed
to me -- it was not like anything human. But it was moving FROM me -- there was relief
in that. I heard it approach the door -- pass out without moving bolt or lock -- and wander
away among the dismal corridors, straining the floors and joists till they creaked again as
it passed -- and then silence reigned once more.
When my excitement had calmed, I said to myself, "This is a dream -- simply a hideous
dream." And so I lay thinking it over until I convinced myself that it WAS a dream, and
then a comforting laugh relaxed my lips and I was happy again. I got up and struck a
light; and when I found that the locks and bolts were just as I had left them, another
soothing laugh welled in my heart and rippled from my lips. I took my pipe and lit it, and
was just sitting down before the fire, when -- down went the pipe out of my nerveless
fingers, the blood forsook my cheeks, and my placid breathing was cut short with a gasp!
In the ashes on the hearth, side by side with my own bare footprint, was another, so vast
that in comparison mine was but an infant's'! Then I had HAD a visitor, and the elephant
tread was explained.
I put out the light and returned to bed, palsied with fear. I lay a long time, peering into the
darkness, and listening. Then I heard a grating noise overhead, like the dragging of a
heavy body across the floor; then the throwing down of the body, and the shaking of my
windows in response to the concussion. In distant parts of the building I heard the
muffled slamming of doors. I heard, at intervals, stealthy footsteps creeping in and out
among the corridors, and up and down the stairs. Sometimes these noises approached my
door, hesitated, and went away again. I heard the clanking of chains faintly, in remote
passages, and listened while the clanking grew nearer -- while it wearily climbed the
stairways, marking each move by the loose surplus of chain that fell with an accented
rattle upon each succeeding step as the goblin that bore it advanced. I heard muttered
sentences; half-uttered screams that seemed smothered violently; and the swish of
invisible garments, the rush of invisible wings. Then I became conscious that my
chamber was invaded -- that I was not alone. I heard sighs and breathings about my bed,
and mysterious whisperings. Three little spheres of soft phosphorescent light appeared on
the ceiling directly over my head, clung and glowed there a moment, and then dropped --
two of them upon my face and one upon the pillow. They spattered, liquidly, and felt
warm. Intuition told me they had turned to gouts of blood as they fell -- I needed no light
to satisfy myself of that. Then I saw pallid faces, dimly luminous, and white uplifted
hands, floating bodiless in the air -- floating a moment and then disappearing. The
whispering ceased, and the voices and the sounds, and a solemn stillness followed. I
waited and listened. I felt that I must have light or die. I was weak with fear. I slowly
raised myself toward a sitting posture, and my face came in contact with a clammy hand!
All strength went from me apparently, and I fell back like a stricken invalid. Then I heard
the rustle of a garment -- it seemed to pass to the door and go out.
When everything was still once more, I crept out of bed, sick and feeble, and lit the gas
with a hand that trembled as if it were aged with a hundred years. The light brought some
little cheer to my spirits. I sat down and fell into a dreamy contemplation of that great
footprint in the ashes. By and by its outlines began to waver and grow dim. I glanced up
and the broad gas flame was slowly wilting away. In the same moment I heard that
elephantine tread again. I noted its approach, nearer and nearer, along the musty halls,
and dimmer and dimmer the light waned. The tread reached my very door and paused --
the light had dwindled to a sickly blue, and all things about me lay in a spectral twilight.
The door did not open, and yet I felt a faint gust of air fan my cheek, and presently was
conscious of a huge, cloudy presence before me. I watched it with fascinated eyes. A pale
glow stole over the Thing; gradually its cloudy folds took shape -- an arm appeared, then
legs, then a body, and last a great sad face looked out of the vapor. Stripped of its filmy
housings, naked, muscular and comely, the majestic Cardiff Giant loomed above me!
All my misery vanished -- for a child might know that no harm could come with that
benignant countenance. My cheerful spirits returned at once, and in sympathy with them
the gas flamed up brightly again. Never a lonely outcast was so glad to welcome
company as I was to greet the friendly giant. I said:
"Why, is it nobody but you? Do you know, I have been scared to death for the last two or
three hours? I am most honestly glad to see you. I wish I had a chair -- Here, here, don't
try to sit down in that thing!"
But it was too late. He was in it before I could stop him, and down he went -- I never saw
a chair shivered so in my life.
"Stop, stop, You'll ruin ev--"
Too late again. There was another crash, and another chair was resolved into its original
elements.
"Confound it, haven't you got any judgment at all? Do you want to ruin all the furniture
on the place? Here, here, you petrified fool--"
But it was no use. Before I could arrest him he had sat down on the bed, and it was a
melancholy ruin.
"Now what sort of a way is that to do? First you come lumbering about the place bringing
a legion of vagabond goblins along with you to worry me to death, and then when I
overlook an indelicacy of costume which would not be tolerated anywhere by cultivated
people except in a respectable theater, and not even there if the nudity were of YOUR
sex, you repay me by wrecking all the furniture you can find to sit down on. And why
will you? You damage yourself as much as you do me. You have broken off the end of
your spinal column, and littered up the floor with chips of your hams till the place looks
like a marble yard. You ought to be ashamed of yourself -- you are big enough to know
better."
"Well, I will not break any more furniture. But what am I to do? I have not had a chance
to sit down for a century." And the tears came into his eyes.
"Poor devil," I said, "I should not have been so harsh with you. And you are an orphan,
too, no doubt. But sit down on the floor here -- nothing else can stand your weight -- and
besides, we cannot be sociable with you away up there above me; I want you down where
I can perch on this high counting-house stool and gossip with you face to face."
So he sat down on the floor, and lit a pipe which I gave him, threw one of my red
blankets over his shoulders, inverted my sitz-bath on his head, helmet fashion, and made
himself picturesque and comfortable. Then he crossed his ankles, while I renewed the
fire, and exposed the flat, honey-combed bottoms of his prodigious feet to the grateful
warmth.
"What is the matter with the bottom of your feet and the back of your legs, that they are
gouged upso?"
"Infernal chillblains -- I caught them clear up to the back of my head, roosting out there
under Newell's farm. But I love the place; I love it as one loves his old home. There is no
peace for me like the peace I feel when I am there."
We talked along for half an hour, and then I noticed that he looked tired, and spoke of it.
"Tired?" he said. "Well, I should think so. And now I will tell you all about it, since you
have treated me so well. I am the spirit of the Petrified Man that lies across the street
there in the Museum. I am the ghost of the Cardiff Giant. I can have no rest, no peace, till
they have given that poor body burial again. Now what was the most natural thing for me
to do, to make men satisfy this wish? Terrify them into it! -- haunt the place where the
body lay! So I haunted the museum night after night. I even got other spirits to help me.
But it did no good, for nobody ever came to the museum at midnight. Then it occurred to
me to come over the way and haunt this place a little. I felt that if I ever got a hearing I
must succeed, for I had the most efficient company that perdition could furnish. Night
after night we have shivered around through these mildewed halls, dragging chains,
groaning, whispering, tramping up and down stairs, till, to tell you the truth, I am almost
worn out. But when I saw a light in your room to-night I roused my energies again and
went at it with a deal of the old freshness. But I am tired out -- entirely fagged out. Give
me, I beseech you, give me some hope!"
I lit off my perch in a burst of excitement, and exclaimed:
"This transcends everything -- everything that ever did occur! Why you poor blundering
old fossil, you have had all your trouble for nothing -- you have been haunting a
PLASTER CAST of yourself -- the real Cardiff Giant is in Albany!
Confound it, don't you know your own remains?"
I never saw such an eloquent look of shame, of pitiable humiliation, overspread a
countenance before.
The Petrified Man rose slowly to his feet, and said: "Honestly, IS that true?"
"As true as I am sitting here."
He took the pipe from his mouth and laid it on the mantel, then stood irresolute a moment
(unconsciously, from old habit, thrusting his hands where his pantaloons pockets should
have been, and meditatively dropping his chin on his breast), and finally said:
"Well -- I NEVER felt so absurd before. The Petrified Man has sold everybody else, and
now the mean fraud has ended by selling its own ghost! My son, if there is any charity
left in your heart for a poor friendless phantom like me, don't let this get out. Think how
YOU would feel if you had made such an ass of yourself."
I heard his, stately tramp die away, step by step down the stairs and out into the deserted
street, and felt sorry that he was gone, poor fellow -- and sorrier still that he had carried
off my red blanket and my bath tub.
END.
1
A fact. The original fraud was ingeniously and fraudfully duplicated, and exhibited in New York as the "only genuine" Cardiff Giant
(to the unspeakable disgust of the owners of the real colossus) at the very same time that the latter was drawing crowds at a museum in
Albany.

1
Modern Fear and Suspense - Lesson 3

Overview: This lesson will be used to open the students' interest in the contemporary
short story. By using a famous author, it is hoped that the students' appetite will be wetted
sufficiently. You are unlikely to have much resistance to the use of one of King's stories
because of the popularity of his novels, short stories, and movies. Most students should
already be away of King through at least one medium.

Purpose: The main thrust of this lesson is to introduce the form in a way that the student
can relate to. From there the student will be able to form opinions on what makes for a
successful short story in the genre of fear and suspense. The students will then be asked
to relate their findings back to classic works of fear and suspense. By the end of the unit,
the student should have an understanding of the format used in short stories, as well as
techniques and conventions of those are the genre of fear and suspense.

Objectives
1. Introduce King's background (i.e. age, lifestyle, education, and inspirations).
2. Read the story aloud with the students.
3. Label the components of the "The Reapers Image" (i.e. introduction / antagonist /
protagonist, inciting incident, rising action, crisis, climax, conclusion) giving specifics for
each.
4. Introduce questions to be posed to groups, followed by group discussions.
5. Set-up for next lesson.

Activities and Procedures

1. Introduction to King's background should contain connections to his style of writing.
-- Born 1947 in Portland, Maine.
-- Father left when he was young, leaving behind a plethora of science fiction, fantasy,
and horror novels.
-- Lived on the edge of poverty until he 'made it' as an author.
-- Inspirations: John D. MacDonald, Ed McBain, Shirley Jackson, J. R. R. Tolkien, Ken
Kesey, Margaret Mitchell, Andre North, Jack London, Agatha Christie, and Thomas
Hardy.
2. Read the story "The Reaper's Image" aloud with the students. Either read it yourself, or
have the students take turns reading paragraphs. This will allow you to gage the students'
interest in the story.
3. Lead a critical analysis of the structure and main components of the story. This should
tie back to the introduction lesson on the short story and its form. Point of view,
introduction , inciting incident, rising action, crisis, climax, and conclusion should all be
clearly identified.
4. Break the class up into groups of 5-6. Have each group tackle one of the following
questions:
-- Who is the reaper in this story? Where is he seen?
-- What kind of place is the Samuel Claggert Memorial Private Museum?
-- Describe the characteristics of Mr. Carlin and Johnson Spangler. What kind of person is
each one?
-- What does the author tell us about Delver Mirrors?
-- What is the significance of the statue of Adonis? (May require a bit of background
given out to the group
-- Do you like the ending? Give your reasons. Continue the story with an additional
episode.
5. As an assignment, have the groups pass in their finding on the following day at which
time they will be discussed. This will then lead into the next short story to be studied.
Introduce the culminating activity!!!!!! (See Unit Plan)

Shirley Jackson's The Lottery - Lesson 4

Overview - Students will read "The Lottery" and respond to the themes of the story
through small group discussion, and personal questions.

Outcomes -
-- Students will have practise in responding to themes in a short story.
-- Students will be able to use prior knowledge of elements of short stories to discuss the
use of suspense and drama in writing.

Procedures -
1. As a class read Jackson's "The Lottery".
2. At the end of the story ask students to write down their immediate reaction to the story
and after a few minutes ask for their opinions.
3. Ask the class these important questions: Why are the townspeople holding the lottery?
Why don't they stop? From here, you can talk a little about the sacrifice rituals of other
cultures, making moral judgements on those cultures. Is this writing style a type of
horror? What type of atmosphere does Jackson create at first, and how does that change?
4. Have the students supply the definition of a theme or image pattern in stories and
novels.
5. From their thoughts and definition, ask the students if there are some themes that
appear in the story. Some typical ones are evil disguised as good, prejudice and
hypocrisy, minds slipping the bonds of reality (from Friedman's analysis)
6. In small groups ask students to look at the story again and discuss how the story
provides a commentary on these situations:
-- How does "The Lottery" prevent the breakdown of society in this community?
-- Respond to the roles of the men and women, how the children act, and what the social
and business goals are for each facet of this society.
-- Sacrifice rituals operate on the principle of "scapegoating". After defining the term,
describe how the process of "The Lottery" uses the scapegoat and tell what end is desired.
Are there any examples in our current society of using scapegoats?
-- "The Lottery" has been used to describe the emotions of people in medicine
misdiagnosis cases. Draw the parallels between elements in each situation and describe
how this can be true.
7. Have the class report their findings and report back to the class. Encourage discussion
and full explanations of each report.
Evaluative Assignment - Using the knowledge of plot and short story elements, write a
page long response as to how Jackson creates a sense of horror from the elements of what
should be an innocent story about small town America. Comment on the use of withheld
knowledge, the irony that can be seen in the names of the characters, and any of the other
elements discussed in class.

Homework: Read "The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell for next class.

The Most Dangerous Game - Lesson 5

Purpose: This lesson will focus on setting and how the setting can influence the psyche of
a character.

Objectives: When the students have finished this lesson, they:

1. Will be able to define setting.
2. Will have examined different methods that authors use to instil fear in readers.
3. Will give special attention to setting = fear in a creative assignment.

Resources: Short Story, The Most Dangerous Game, by Richard Connell; and movie The
Blair Witch Project, released summer 1999, or Hitchcock's Psycho.

Tasks:
1. Ask what made The Most Dangerous Game frightening, or was it at all?
2. Define setting; talk about it in relation to The Most Dangerous Game. Note that setting
can pertain to physical surroundings as well as state of mind (psychological setting).
Where is the story set (geographically)? What kind of island is it? What are the buildings
like? What is the difference between this island and one like, say, Bermuda? Would the
setting be scary if General Zaroff didn't live on the island? If the island were inhabited,
would the story be as scary?
3. Discuss the state of mind of Rainsford before he lands on the island versus that after he
meets the General. What is different? (Especially about how he perceives animal
feelings.)
4. Talk about how Connell inspires fear without obvious bloodshed/grotesqueness.
Hopefully, they will come up with some of the following: isolation, setting,
power/powerlessness, conflict, suspense, and control/lack of control.
5. Ask why The Blair Witch Project (or Psycho, depending on which movie you choose to
use) was scary. Note that the subtlety/lack of overt violence (left up the observer's
imagination) added to the fear.
6. Draw parallels between the movie and The Most Dangerous Game.

Homework: If you were going to direct the movie The Most Dangerous Game, how
would you do it? You are going to pitch your idea to a big-shot Hollywood producer who
will decide if they will fund your movie. If they agree to make the movie, you will have
an unlimited budget. Pay particular attention to setting. How would you make it as
frightening as possible? Who would you cast in the roles? Where would you shoot it?
How would you shoot it? Would you have it narrated or would you just have it acted out?
Pitch your idea to me on audiotape and hand it in next class.

Conclusion - Lesson 6

Overview: This is the final lesson of the unit and this time should be used to bring a sense
of closure to the previous stories and concepts that have been introduced - the parts of the
short story and the use of suspense/horror in writing - in keeping with the build up to
Halloween.

Outcomes:
-- Students will be able to identify the various ways in which writers use suspense to
create an atmosphere for the writing.
-- Students will be able to discuss the different aspects of short stories as discussed and
featured in previous lessons.
-- Students will be able to apply their knowledge in the continuation in preparation for
their cumulative activity.

Procedures:
1. Take a moment to review the titles and plots of the stories previously discussed in class
by placing the information on a chart or on the board. The key concepts might also be
placed there in parenthesis (i.e. narrative voice, suspense, parts of the story, etc.)
2. Ask the students from a crafting viewpoint, which story do they feel drew best on the
elements of suspense, horror, form/structure, etc., and why.
3. Alternately, ask if there were any of the aspects that they did not see well demonstrated
in each of the various stories:
-- Did an element of horror appear in the opening "Three Little Pigs" story?
-- What made the style of Mark Twain different from that of Stephen King? How did a
psychological element come into play in the Jackson, or the Connell? Which worked
better, in your opinion?
-- How is the structure of the story manipulated so that suspense is capitalised?
4. Use class time to work on the culminating activity. Students should be encouraged to
use their peers as editors and critiques for the design of their "sequel" to match style,
monitor pacing, and form final editing ideas. If desired, a small part of the mark could be
given for the editorial participation.

Culminating Activity

Overview: This is the culminating activity of the unit. It is linked to lesson three, 'Modern
Fear and Suspense - Stephen King's "The Reaper's Image"'. The activity requires the
students to come up with a short story detailing the events that led to one of the follow
incidents with the DeIver mirror: 1) during the school tour, when Sandra Bates brother
saw the reaper's image; 2) during the party that the English Duchess was attending in
1709; or, 3) during the evening in 1746, when the Pennsylvania rug merchant first
acquired the mirror.

Motivation: This activity will test the students' knowledge of the short story (i.e. format,
development, etc.), as well as their ability to use that knowledge to create a original piece
of work. At the same time, the exercise will require creativity, writing skills, and
grammar skills.

Activity: The students' will each come up with an original piece of work based on the
short story "The Reaper's Image". The story should be approximately 3-4 (although the
students may go over, within reason) typed pages in length, and time may be given in
class to work on their story. The students will be informed that the following grading
scheme will be used:

30% Format (rising action, climax, etc.)

20% Creativity - characterisation
20% -convention usage
20% Flow & Grammar
10% Breakdown

Grading Scheme Explanations:

Format - The student is asked to use proper short story format as discussed in earlier
classes.
Creativity - The student is asked to demonstrate a certain level of creativity. This will be
the most subjective of the marked areas. The student will be informed that
characterisation and use of conventions will be the focus areas of creativity.
Flow and Grammar - Organisation of the story (flow) and proper sentence and paragraph
structure.
Breakdown - Following the story, the student is expected to give a critique of his/her
story. They should include such things as: what is the critical incident, what is the nature
of the conflict, what is the climax of the story, etc., etc.

Emphasise to the students that this is a creative exercise, but that they must adhere to the
format studied. Any obvious failings to do so will affect the students' mark on this
project. The students' should choose one of the following plot lines for their story to
follow:
1. A group of high school students are taking a tour of the Samuel Claggert Memorial
Private Museum, when one of the students notices something strange in the DeIver
mirror. Suddenly, the student finds himself wishing he was back in his class.
2. An English Duchess has just been given the DeIver mirror as a present from her fiancé.
Tonight, she and her future husband are throwing a party. However, their celebration will
take a turn for the worse.
3. A Pennsylvania rug merchant has just had a successful business trip to New York. So
successful, in fact, that he decided to celebrate his earning buy acquiring a new piece of
art. Unfortunately for him, he chose the DeIver mirror. As he settles in for an evening of
quit relaxation he notices something strange about his new piece.
4. Alternately, the students may approach you individually with their own ideas.
Emphasise that original plot concepts must be past by you first.

Reflection: Have the students discuss whether or not they believed that this project
helped them to further understand the concept of the short story. Did it clarify how some
of the conventions of fear and suspense function? Overall, did they enjoy the activity? If
not, what would they change?