by Edgar Allan Poe 1850

Welcome to the parent guide for this text! Read below to find out about what your child is reading in class and how you can support him/her at home.

This week in class, we’re reading "The Pit and the Pendulum" by Edgar Allan Poe.

In this classic example of Poe suspense, an unnamed narrator describes the torments endured as a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition. 

As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Death, Fear & Paranoia, and Power & Greed as they relate to the text. We are trying to answer these big questions :

"How does fear drive action?", "How do people face death?", and "How does power corrupt?"

Ways to support your child: