"Old Bugs" by H.P. Lovecraft Close Reading Worksheet

Measure reading comprehension and support the development of close reading skills for high school and college with this set of analysis questions on H.P. Lovecraft’s short story “Old Bugs,” a social commentary narrative that marks a departure from Lovecraft’s tendency to write horror and supernatural fiction. With an estimated Lexile Measure of 1300-1400, this text and its corresponding assessment are appropriate additions to any high school English classroom, especially at the 11th and 12th grade levels. It also aligns nicely to American History courses in that the narrative addresses the topic of Prohibition. Materials are delivered in Word Document and PDF formats.

This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions. Through these discussions, students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development, demonstrating an ability to analyze how complex characters transform and advance the plot and themes by applying logic and citing compelling, meaningful textual evidence. They will also evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to advance claims, clarifying or challenging unclear ideas. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.

By engaging with this resource, students will:

• Respond clearly, concisely, and accurately to analytical questioning
• Respond clearly, concisely, and accurately to literal comprehension-based questioning
• Analyze textual details to discern, articulate, and support claims about tone
• Apply knowledge of literary devices to the text, articulating how they are applied while citing textual evidence in support of claims (allusion, complex/dynamic character)
• Analyze the effect of dialect on the reader
• Explore and articulate character motivations.
• Analyze the author’s craft, exploring unique and unfamiliar phrasing, sentence structures, and sensory language to make sense of meaning