A common use for Storyboard That is to help students create a plot diagram of the events from a narrative. Not only is this a great way to teach the parts of the plot, but it reinforces major events and help students develop greater understanding of literary structures.
Poe’s “The Raven" is one of the most recognizable poems ever written. Its narrative style, many stanzas, and repetition makes this ballad readily memorable. With the morbid obsession, eerie tone, and captivating imagery, it is hard to forget.
Creating a Plot Diagram of the events in the poem can significantly help students to grasp key concepts and events. Student then can use the familiar plot diagram to track the actions, thoughts, and interactions of the main character and the raven.
“The Raven" is set in at midnight on a bleak December night, as a man dozes in his chair.
The man is distraught over the loss of his loved one, Leanore.
Suddenly, he hears a knocking, tapping, rapping at his chamber door. He discovers it is a raven.
After a lengthy conversation with the bird, the speaker asks if he will ever see Leanore again. The Raven replies: 'Nevermore.'
Angry with the birds answer, the speaker kicks him out!
The sorrow and sadness that comes with the loss of a loved one can never be undone.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a visual plot diagram of "The Raven".
Start the session by asking students to brainstorm individually or in groups and come up with alternate endings. Get the students to consider other possible directions for the poem. Ask thought-provoking questions like what elements of the story would they like to change? What possible changes do the students want to incite through the ending?
Help the students examine what the original ending entails. Ask the students what they think was the meaning behind the real ending and what they felt the author was trying to tell them. Conduct a discussion on how this ending impacts the readers as well as the characters and how changing the ending changes the entire story.
Identify and discuss the central ideas present in the poem. The resolution of the poem should be connected to the theme and give readers a sense of connection with the overall poem. For instance, the central ideas present in the poem are “grief, death, loss, love, and madness”. Students can use these themes to come up with an alternate ending so it does not look out of context.
Discuss what Edgar Allen Poe originally wanted to tell through this poem and its ending. Students can know more about the author’s intention by researching his background and finding out more about his goals and motivation. Students can either write the alternate ending from the perspective of the author or use their own perspective to write the resolution.
Ask the students to reflect on their alternate endings. Encourage them to express why they came up with such an ending or their motivation behind the idea. Once they have presented their different endings to the class, they can give an explanation of their imaginative choices.
The story of "The Raven" reaches its peak when the narrator, in a state of extreme hopelessness and desperation, asks the raven whether there is any solace from his grief. The raven's reply, "Nevermore," exacerbates the narrator's suffering and hopelessness. The narrator already knows that The Raven will answer “nevermore” for every question he asks so he asked the question he desperately wanted the answer to be true for.
The poem's structure, with its recurring theme of "Nevermore," adds to the sense of unease and pessimism that develops. Students can analyze this structure by dividing the poem into stages and highlighting the development in each stage.