Night of the Scorpion

1
Night of the Scorpion

• The poem is told to us as a story.
• It starts by explaining the scorpions behaviour.
  According to the poet, why did the scorpion sting
  his mother?

2
Night of the Scorpion

• What does diabolic mean?
• Why do you think the poet has used this word?
• Why do you think there is a dash either side of
  the line flash of diabolic tail in the dark
  room?

3
Night of the Scorpion

• The poem then moves on to describe the peoples
  reaction.
• Why do you think they are compared to swarms of
  flies?
• What do flies do?
• Where do you find them?

4
Night of the Scorpion

• Look at your copy of the poem.
• List all the different ways that the peasants try
  to deal with the effects of the sting.
• What does the poets father do?

5
Night of the Scorpion

• The peasants in the village seem to think that
  the scorpion is connected with the devil.
• Can you find evidence in their incantation
  (chanting) that they believe in reincarnation
  too?
• (Reincarnation is the belief that when we die we
  will be born again as something else)

6
Night of the Scorpion

• A rationalist is someone who uses logic to
  explain things. The poets father does not
  believe the villagers superstitions but he too
  tries every curse and blessing,
• powder, mixture, herb and hybrid.
• Why do you think he does this?

7
Night of the Scorpion

• What do you think it means when it says,
• After twenty hours
• it lost its sting?
• Do you think the mother lived or died?

8
Night of the Scorpion

• Why do you think the mothers lines are separated
  from the rest of the poem?
• What do you think is the poets message?