Literary Terms: Folktales, Poe, and The Tell-Tale Heart
Literary Vocabulary and Author Notes
Japanese Folktale: Tokoyo and the Sea Monster
Key Vocabulary Definitions
- Livelihood: Work that provides the basic necessities of life.
- Depths: The deepest part of something.
- Misfortune: Bad luck / an unhappy situation.
- Banished: Forced to leave, driven away, expelled.
- Communication: The sharing of information between two or more individuals or groups to reach a common understanding.
- Orphan: A child whose parents are dead.
- Desire: To want.
- Cowering: Crouching from something frightening.
- Ailments: An illness.
- Deliberate: Carefully thought out; not hasty.
- Precipice: A very high and steep cliff.
- Slaying: To kill violently.
- Symptoms: A sign of something.
- Regained: To get back.
Welsh Folktale: How Water Lilies Began
Vocabulary for the Welsh Legend
- Humble: Plain and simple, modest.
- Meadow: A field of grass or wildflowers.
- Chords: Two or more musical notes played at the same time.
- Fortunate: Lucky.
- Boasted: To brag.
- Exceptional: Really good.
- Pleaded: Begged, asked.
- Relent: To give in, to give up.
- Afford: Be able to spare or give up.
- Obstinate: Not willing to give in, stubborn.
- Submit: To be controlled by.
- Trudged: To walk slowly.
- Melancholy: Sad, depressed.
- Plunge: Jump or dive quickly and energetically.
- Fringes: Along the edge of something.
African Folktale
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Edgar Allan Poe and "The Tell-Tale Heart"
Vocabulary from the Short Story
- Acute: Sharp.
- Vexed: Disturbed.
- Sagacity: Intelligence and good judgment.
- Refrained: Held back.
- Wary: Cautious.
- Suavity: Smooth manner.
- Audacity: Boldness.
- Vehemently: Forcefully.
- Gesticulations: Energetic gestures.
- Derision: Ridicule.
Notes on Edgar Allan Poe
- Poe is famous for his tales and poems of horror and mystery.
- His tales of mystery and horror initiated the modern detective story.
- His nickname is the "Father of the Detective Story."
- The poem The Raven numbers among the best-known poems in national literature.
- Poe published his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems.
- He also published some of his own works in magazines, including two parts of his only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym.
- His problem with alcohol also played a role in his departure, according to some reports.