1. 6th December 2011
The Oval Portrait:
Language and
Themes Learning objectives:
• Identify Gothic themes in The
Oval Portrait.
• Understand how language is
used to present Gothic themes.

2. Task: Read the text in groups, and pick out
two key words that reflect a common theme.
Skilled work will:
1. Identify words or phrases that reflect Gothic conventions
and explain the choice of word.
Excellent work will:
1. Give extended explanations for choice of Gothic words or
phrases.

3. First of all…team quiz!!!
If you know the answer, make your team noise.
On which night did the narrator in TTTH kill the
Old Man?
To which disgusting, menacing animal does he
liken the Old Man’s eye?
What is a Deathwatch Beetle?

4. At the beginning of the unit, you
thought of these Gothic conventions:
• Supernatural • Fascinated with the past
• Mysterious • Shocking
• Cruel • Gory
• Horrific • Disgusted
• Gloomy • Unnatural
• Melodramatic • Appalling
• Suspenseful • Sinister
• Unconventional • Damsels in distress
• Violent • Distorted
• Savage • Isolated settings
• Old fashioned • Spooky places
• Psychologically warped • Abandoned buildings
• Extreme states of mind
Which Gothic conventions can you recognise in The Oval Portrait?

5. Listen carefully...
Can you recognise any
Gothic themes?
Underline examples.

6. How does language
communicate themes?
• In groups, read your section. Take it in turns to read – line by line!
• Pick out two words or phrases that represent a theme, and write them in your
book.
• Write an explanation for how each word or phrase is effective.
Skilled: Turret - This word raises images of old, scary buildings.
Excellent: The word turret makes me think of a princess locked away
in an isolated tower. It reminds me of fairytales where the damsel
in distress is being imprisoned by cruel characters. This is a
significant symbol in The Oval Portrait, because women as victims is
a key theme.

7. Share your ideas with the
class
• Which theme did you identify?
• Which word or phrase did you pick to
communicate the theme?
• How is the word or phrase effective?

8. 7th December 2011
Comparing Poe’s short stories.
Learning objectives:
• To identify similarities and
differences between Poe’s
short stories.
• To use Gothic language to
compare the stories through
writing.

9. First of all...
Dictionary work!!! Find the following definitions:
Turret = Small tower on a castle
Devoutly = Deeply religious, devoted
Slumbering = lightly sleeping
Vehemently = feeling strongly about something
Agitated = Restless, uneasy
Delirium = State of mental confusion due to illness.
Pined = An intense longing for someone or something.
Meek = Weak, docile

10. Task: Write a paragraph comparing The Oval Portrait to The Tell Tale Heart.
Skilled work will:
1. Identify how The Oval Portrait is different to The Tell Tale
Heart.
2. Give a brief explanation of those differences.
Excellent work will:
1. Identify how The Oval Portrait is both similar and different
to The Tell Tale Heart.
2. Use P.E.E. to structure a clear and detailed explanation of
those differences.

11. At the beginning of the unit, you
thought of these Gothic conventions:
• Supernatural
Which conventions • Fascinated with the past
• Mysterious appear in The Oval • Shocking
• Cruel Portrait AND The Tell • Gory
• Horrific • Disgusted
• Gloomy
Tale Heart? • Unnatural
• Melodramatic • Appalling
• Suspenseful Which conventions • Sinister
• Unconventional • Damsels in distress
• Violent ONLY appear in The • Distorted
• Savage Oval Portrait? • Isolated settings
• Old fashioned • Spooky places
• Psychologically warped • Abandoned buildings
• Extreme states of mind
Think, pair, share

12. Putting your ideas into writing
You can either…
1. Write a paragraph explaining how The Oval
Portrait is different to The Tell Tale Heart.
OR
2. Write a paragraph explaining the similarities
and differences between The Oval Portrait and
The Tell Tale Heart.

13. 1. Write a paragraph explaining how The Oval Portrait is
different to The Tell Tale Heart.
Sentence starters:
• The atmosphere in The Oval Portrait is…
• Whereas in The Tell Tale Heart…
• Some obvious differences are…
• Although both stories follow typical Gothic conventions…
• On first impressions…
Example: Although The Oval Portrait and The Tell Tale Heart are
both typical Gothic stories, they have many differences. For example, in
The Tell Tale Heart , we are never told about the setting, so the identity of
each character is a mystery. In The Oval Portrait, we are given more
information on people and places, “She was a maiden of rarest beauty.”
This makes us focus less on horrific events, and feel more attached to the
characters in the story.

14. 2. Write a paragraph explaining some similarities and differences between The
Oval Portrait and The Tell Tale Heart.
Sentence starters:
• Both stories…
• There are a number of similarities, such as…
• Certain Gothic conventions…
• A different mood…
• However…
• Whereas one story…
Example: Although The Oval Portrait and The Tell Tale Heart are quite
different, there are some similarities too. Whereas one features violent
thoughts and bloody events, the other focuses more on spooky settings and
the ‘Damsel in Distress.’ Both stories, however, build suspense to grip the
reader. In The Tell Tale Heart, we learn about the narrator’s eight-day journey
towards approaching the sleeping man, “you cannot imagine how stealthily.”
In The Oval Portrait, we hear a lot about the portrait’s disturbing qualities
before understanding the story behind it, “I remained for an hour
perhaps, half sitting, half reclining, with my vision riveted upon the subject.”
Both stories fill us with anticipation, and make us wonder what disturbing
ideas are yet to unfold.

15. Did you...
• Identify similarities and differences between
Poe’s short stories?
• Use Gothic language to compare the stories
through writing?
Use your traffic light system!

16. Exit cards
On a post-it note, write down one similarity and
one difference between The Oval Portrait and
The Tell Tale Heart.