NAME: ____________________________________
DATE: _____________________________________
SECTION: ___________________________________
SOCRATIC SEMINAR PREPARATION GUIDE — ACP
“THE BLACK CAT” BY EDGAR ALLAN POE
MRS. HIGGGINS 8TH GRADE ENGLISH
Directions: Thoroughly answer all the questions below. Support your ideas with specific quotes in MLA format and examples from
“The Black Cat.” Use different textual evidence for each answer. Bring to Friday’s Socratic Seminar. 25 points
Core Questions
1. What is the importance of
the title of "The Black Cat?"
Your Response:
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
2. What are some of the
Your Response:
controversial elements of the
story? Were they necessary?
Why or why not?
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
3. What are some symbols in Your Response:
the story? How do the
symbols relate to the plot
and characters?
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
Page 1 of 4
4. What is the main idea or
underlying value in the text?
Your Response:
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
5. What particular phrase did
you find confusing or
unclear? Why?
Your Response:
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
6. What is the most important Your Response:
word/sentence/paragraph?
Why?
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
Page 2 of 4
7. Is the narrator consistent
in his actions? Is he a fully
developed character? How?
Why?
Your Response:
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
8. How essential is the
setting to the story? Could
the story have taken place
anywhere else?
Your Response:
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
9. Would you recommend
Your Response:
this story to a friend? Why or
why not?
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
Page 3 of 4
10. Does the story end the
way you expected? How?
Why?
Your Response:
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format:
Opening Question
Did you like the movie or
written version of “The Black
Cat” better?” Why?
Your Response:
Quote(s) and Page Number(s) in MLA format::
NOTES
ADD DURING THE DISCUSSION
Page 4 of 4