‘Twas a Dark and Dreary Night
Patrick McManus
Literature Terms to Know
1. Genre – a type of writing
2. Essay – a work that seeks to state a point of view, discuss a subject,
or persuade a reader to accept an argument
 In an informal essay, the author is usually the narrator giving a
personal point of view
 In a formal essay, the author is usually an authority on the
subject, which is probably more serious in nature.
3. Narrator – the individual or character telling the story
4. Dialogue – conversation between characters
5. Overstatement – the exaggeration of details for the purpose of
humor or emphasis
Patrick McManus based many of his humorous stories on actual
experiences in his own life, but admits to fictionalizing them slightly.
He really DID call his sister “the Troll,” after the troll, Grendel, in the
classic epic, Beowulf.
I.
His Humor
 He exposes human weakness without giving undue offense.
 “I think humor is best that lies closest to the familiar.”
 He shows us the dangers in pretending to be courageous
when we are not.
II.
III.
His Courage
 It is NOT true courage.
 It is FALSE courage. He is trying to cover his fear of the dark.
(Nyctophobia)
 He is a hypocrite! (He is pretending to be something he is
not.)
 He is even MORE afraid of his friends finding out about his
fear than he actually is of the dark.
 He “forgets” to brush his teeth and leaves the light on.
The Result
 Because Pat refuses to admit his fear, he is placed in the
exact situation he was trying to avoid.
 Ronnie (Ditmire) is also afraid but doesn’t try to hide his
fear.
 Pat’s desire to hide his own fear shows a lack of courage and
prompts him to make unkind remarks about another
classmate.
***Theme: Don’t Pretend!