Putting the fear into Gothic

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Putting the fear into Gothic
The Year 9 homework challenge

• ISG/AJ 2006

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Putting the fear into Gothic
This is your Year 9 homework challenge. We want
you to write a gothic horror story and be in
with a chance of a prize. Just think
Frankenstein, vampires, werewolves, ghosts,
ghouls, zombies, witches and everything else that
might bump you in the night. These slides should
help you get some ideas for what to write and a
few suggestions for going about your story. See
is you can shiver your teachers backbone!!!

• IS/AJG 2006

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Putting the fear into Gothic
The first thing to do is get some background and
the best place to start is with a book or
two. Try reading the start (or all of)
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley or Dracula by
Bram Stoker. Try short stories like Tales of
Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe
this includes stories like The Tell-Tale Heart,
The Pit and the Pendulum, The Gold-Bug, The
Fall of the House of Usher, The Masque of the
Red Death and many others. Can you find any
modern stories that are gothic?

• ISG/AJ 2006

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Putting the fear into Gothic
There are lots of films that are gothic. You can
always tell. When the thunder starts crashing
and the lightning is flashing youre often in a
gothic drama. If the ghosts are rattling chains
and horror is in the air, its pretty certain
its gothic. Even films like Pirates of the
Caribbean Dead Mans Chest have plenty of
gothic elements. Try watching a couple of old
gothic films and look closely at the kind of
settings and actions that keep appearing. Would
any bits be of use in your story?

• ISG/AJ 2006

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Putting the fear into Gothic
How about a bit of research on how gothic stories
came in to being? Did you know there is a style
of architecture that is called Gothic? It is
very ornate and has special features like
gargoyles and flying buttresses you can see
similar works on the castles and mansions in
gothic films. Do some research on the internet.
Find out what are the classic genre elements of
gothic stories. How many do you want to include?
Can you think of other things that could make
your story scary and yet still be
different? genre a particular style or kind of
story

• IS/AJ 2006

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Putting the fear into Gothic
Horror stories are just like every other story
you have to grab the reader by the throat (not
too literally) and keep them gripped. Its a
challenge but you can do it. Remember your story
starts with the exposition, thats where you
introduce your characters your
setting your situation.

• ISG/AJ 2006

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Putting the fear into Gothic
Remember you have to make a real impact with your
opening sentence and your opening paragraph. Do
remember show dont tell! Show your reader what
your character is doing/thinking/saying and let
the reader decide whether your character is good
or bad. Try to do the same when you are
describing a situation say what you can see and
let your reader decide whether it is good or bad,
horrific or sad, scary or not.

• ISG/AJ 2006

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Putting the fear into Gothic
The deadline for your story is 27th June. Make
sure you get it to your teacher use the
night-mail or bat post. Prizes will be awarded
before the end of term best of luck!

• ISG/AJ 2006