"The Island of the Fay" Close Reading Worksheet

Support the development of high school and college close reading skills with this assessment on the allegory titled “The Island of the Fay” by Edgar Allan Poe. A variety of question types facilitates the process of analyzing the author’s craft, applying knowledge of literary devices, making logical inferences about author’s intent, citing relevant and compelling textual evidence to support claims, and more. The resource is delivered in Word Doc and PDF formats. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included.

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, ultimately, will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.

By engaging in this exercise, students will…

• Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
• Analyze how the author uses figurative language and direct description to give the impression that Nature is a living force
• Apply knowledge of various literary devices including oxymoron, metaphor, symbolism, and personification
• Compare and contrast two regions of the island
• Analyze the author’s craft to articulate how Poe evokes the concept of death in a given excerpt
• Define complex words and phrases in context
• Make logical inferences about the author’s mindset in the context of his allegory
• Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims
• Write with clarity and precision