Engage high school English students in a deep, standards-based literary analysis of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “Berenice” with this editable, ready-to-use activity. Transforming a classic horror story into a rigorous study of fiction, this worksheet guides students beyond surface-level comprehension and challenges them to practice advanced analysis, interpretation, and critical thinking skills essential for college-prep English.
Many factors make “Berenice” an excellent addition to a high school short story unit, especially during the Halloween season: its unreliable narrator, grotesque imagery, oppressive tone, and shocking plot twist in the resolution. The narrative pairs especially well with other works of horror fiction such as “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and “Pickman’s Model” by H.P. Lovecraft.
Materials are delivered in editable Word Document and printable PDF formats. Through 19 rigorous questions, students will practice and demonstrate the following essential ELA skills:
- Applying knowledge of literary devices such as metaphor, allusion, personification, irony, foreshadowing, and symbolism.
- Interpreting author’s stylistic choices, including the effect of em-dashes and tone shifts.
- Comparing and contrasting characters to evaluate characterization and narrative function.
- Making logical inferences about narrator mindset, character motives, and thematic meaning.
- Evaluating diction and phrasing to determine tone and author’s intent.
- Examining point of view and its influence on narrative reliability.
- Identifying irony and foreshadowing as tools for building suspense.
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