Telly Taley Heart

[judifilksign]

Today in English class, we read the classic Poe story "The Tell-Tale Heart."  This is part of "Creep Week" of English, in honor of Halloween, and any excuse for a disturbing story. 

Thus far, we've done "Sound of Thunder," "The Raven," "The Most Dangerous Game," "Masque of the Red Death," (Dug out of an upper level English book in honor of cadhla ) and still have "The Birds,"  "The Highwayman," "The Devil and Tom Walker," and all next week, "The Hound of the Baskervilles."  Mathematical folk may note that Creep Week extends well beyond one school week on *both* sides of Halloween!  I've told my students that if they complain, they'll get "Fall of the House of Usher" as punishment.  ("More Poe!  Oh, Woe!" is how I put it.)

So, as a *must* following the "Tell-Tale Heart," I played "Telly Taley Heart," the parody homage by Tom Smith.   I stated proudly that I knew this guy, who was a close personal friend, and that this was the kind of music I did sign language for last weekend when I went out and partied.

Two reactions:
"You know people who write murder songs of dismemberment?  Are you doing this as some sort of like, warning to be good?"
and
"Why didn't you just play the song, and skip the story?  All the salient points are included, and it would've taken less time."

Comments

[braider.livejournal.com]

Wait - one of your *students* used the word "salient"?

10 points to whatever house they're in! ;-)

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Yes, I do get students with vocabularies like mine! Occasionally!

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Ooo, other stories for next year:
Rappacini's daughter
The Devil and Daniel Webster
Robert Lewis Stevenson's The Bottle Imp
Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
an Ambrose Bierce, any Bierce

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

I have to see what my district has on hand. We might actually have Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I'll also check for the "Bottle Imp," too. I'd forgotten about that one.

[pondside.livejournal.com]

You know... they both have good points.

Of course, "you'd not appreciate the great talent of the song writer if you had not experienced the greatness of the author " :)

we miss you!!

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

LOL! Were you *channeling* me? That is almost word-for-word precisely what I said in class! Substitute "composer" for "song writer." and seriously...

[pondside.livejournal.com]

Of course I was channeling you :) It's a bonus of being part of the family... I crawl around in your head upon occasion.

Now, if that doesn't scare you...

[naomilynne.livejournal.com]

I think Shaina would like YOUR English classes better than her own. She doesn't get to read anything near so interesting. (She's in honors 11th grade English, mind you.)

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Bunches of 11th grade English is pre-ordained as *American* literature, and Shaina might get Poe, but a lot of what must be taught is by timeline and overall trends in what was going on at the time in American History. Thus, what the No Child Left Behind folks think is salient.

[bomlin.livejournal.com]

What?!?!? No Lovecraft?!?! Every child should learn the dangers of the Elder Ones.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but funding dictates that I use the stories from the Literature books available to me. The kids have had *enough* of Poe!

[pondside.livejournal.com]

Oh my... that cements it, there's a piece of art going in your parcel with the other stuff....

[mneme]

*giggle* As long as its not serious, I like the reaction of the second student.

Though...this "funding dictates" stuff is so 20th C -- I mean, can't they have put enough budget into making sure all the students have computers -- and then let you assign public domain material (like, say, anything 19th C at all, and a lot of early 20th C stuff)?