Sad Monsters Are Sad
Classic Horror in the Classroom

Most of us like a good scare; I find this to be true of my middle school students.  Many of them are reading Stephen King and Clive Barker on their own; the zombie-themed Enemy series by Charlie Higson and The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey are popular young adult fare, so why not incorporate the genre into your reading and literature curriculum.

One interesting theme to explore with students is the plight of monster--a pitiable figure, as characterized by Mary Shelley in the classic Frankenstein.  He just wants to be loved by his creator, who's a total dick to the anguished creature.  Granted, it's a tough read (Shelley's prose is pretty turgid and the level of sentimentality is cringy), but older, proficient readers can tackle it.  Another compelling classic is Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde; the writing is better and will generate great class discussions about the nature of good and bad.  Talk about complex texts!  They also present excellent opportunities to compare the original texts with popular movie retellings.  Click onto the image below for a potential study guide:

If you're willing to slog into murkier candidates, how about Lovecraft's Reanimator?  A novella separated into six mini-chapters, it's more gruesome and vivid than Shelley's and Stevenson's classics (I had one child opt out because it was just too scary for her), which might well improve interest and compliance in your audience.  Much like Frankenstein, the mad scientist is caught off guard by the consequences of his attempt to play God.  I use it as an exercise in getting students to locate and elaborate on textual evidence (a skill most lacking in their essays).  Check out my study guide:

Get your kids reading and thinking in the coming school year with a dose of good old fashioned horror!