Questions and Activities for Suggested Short Stories
Each of the selected short stories listed below are appropriate for classroom use, and the questions and activities are designed for the indicated short story. The questions should allow students to respond to the stories orally or in writing. They may be used with the entire class or with small groups of students. Teachers may find other stories in the three anthologies that are appropriate for their particular students.
Stories from Night Shift
"JERUSALEM'S LOT" (pp. 1-34)
1. As a writing technique King uses a series of letters to explain what is happening in Chapelwaite. How effective is this technique as he spins his haunting tale?
2. The eerie setting is established early in the story. Describe your reaction to Calvin's comments about townspeople stating: "What was said, sir, was that anyone who would live in Chapelwaite must be either a lunatic or run the risk of becoming one." (p. 3) What do you think is going to happen?
3. What does Charles learn about his ancestry from Mrs. Cloris? What does Charles learn about the house?
4. Explain Mrs. Cloris's statement, "Some die not . . . some live in the twilight shadows Between to serve - Him!" (p. 7)
5. Why do you think King tries to involve all of one's senses in describing Jerusalem's Lot? How effective is he?
6. Charles states that he thinks he knows why "Jerusalem's Lot is a shunned town." (p. 11) What reasons can you give for this possible conclusion?
7. What is a "Satan's Mass"? (p. 12)
8. How does Mrs. Cloris explain the evil things that have happened since Charles and Calvin have arrived? What does she recommend? If you were in their places, would you leave? Explain. What history about Chapelwaite does she offer?
9. King wants to increase the sense of horror as Charles and Calvin explore the house. What do they discover in the cellar?
10. What is meant by "nosferatu - the Undead?" (p. 21)
11. What does Calvin seem to indicate when he writes: "It seems we wait in the
deceptive Eye of the Storm?" (p. 21)
12. What evidence is there that "blood calls to blood?" (p. 23) What does this mean?
13. Describe the horror that takes place when Calvin and Charles return to the church.
14. What part does James Boon play in "Jerusalem's Lot?"
15. How does King conclude this tale? What twists are added to the tale? What do you think might happen next?
"GRAVEYARD SHIFT" (pp. 35-51)
1. In ten words or less, describe Hall at the beginning of the story.
2. What element of horror does King use to introduce the tale?
3. On page 37, King skillfully establishes the setting and action for the tale. If you were Hall, would you accept the job offer? Explain your answer.
4. What do you think Hall's premonition is that involves Warwick? (p. 38)
5. How does King appeal to all of the reader's senses as he describes the setting and
circumstances? How effective is the author?
6. Wisconsky describes the rats, "It almost seems like they think. You ever wonder how it'd be, if we was little and they were big?" (p. 39) To what extent does this enable the reader to foresee the structure of the action within the story?
7. What horrible thing happened to Ray Upton? What is the reaction among the workers?
8. As the story develops, what is the relationship between Hall and Warwick?
How does Hall confront Warwick with town ordinances? What is the effect?
9. What do the men discover in the sub-cellar?
10. How does King skillfully end the story? What is your reaction to his technique?
"NIGHT SURF" (pp. 52-60)
1. What seems to bond the young people together? What are your feelings about these people?
2. What is "A6"? Compare it to similar diseases throughout history.
3. How do you explain the Bernie-Susie relationship?
4. What has changed since "A6"?
5. What would be your thoughts and activities if you and five friends were the last inhabitants on earth?
"I AM THE DOORWAY" (pp. 61-73)
1. What, in your mind, are the achievements as a result of space flights? What is the cost for a space flight program? What are your personal feelings about maintaining such a program? What tragedies and near tragedies have taken place over the years of the U. S. space flight programs?
2. What happened to Arthur as he came down from his space flight? How has this affected him? What was the shocking discovery he made about his itchings?
3. What does Arthur mean when he says "I am the doorway"? (p. 61)
4. What leads Arthur to his final decision?
"GRAY MATTER" (pp.105-116)
1. What is the setting for this story? Why is it so important?
2. How does Henry react to Timmy's plea?
3. What is the horrible tale Henry tells the others as they are carrying the beer to Richie's? What are their reactions? What are yours?
4. How do you explain the end of the story?
5. How does King draw the reader's senses into this grotesque tale?
"STRAWBERRY SPRING" (pp. 171-180)
1. What is "strawberry spring?" (p. 171) How does this become a part of the story?
2. Listen to a recording of "Love is Blue" or "Hey, Jude" or "Scarborough Fair" to get a sense of the times - the late 1960s. Also, note that Stephen King is an avid radio and rock-and-roll fan.
3. Who is "Springheel Jack"? (p. 171)
4. Research information about Jack the Ripper.
5. On page 179, King has a paragraph that refers to "draft protesters," a "sit-in where a well-known napalm manufacturer was holding interviews." Find information about the late 1960s in newspapers and magazines to see how common such situations were. Why did people feel this way? Could such activities happen today? Explain.
6. What is your reaction to the ending of the story?
"THE LAST RUNG ON THE LADDER" (pp. 279-290)
1. King enjoys using children in his stories. How does he capitalize on their secrets and curiosities in this tale?
2. How effective is the transition from the results of jumping into the hay to the news item Larry has about his sister?
3. Why did the contents of the letter move Larry?
4. What are your feelings about Larry?
"THE MAN WHO LOVED FLOWERS" (pp. 291-296)
1. How would you best describe the young man? If you were in a position to make a television program based on the story, what actor could best play this part? What criteria did you use to make this decision?
2. How do the radio news items contrast with the season and the young man's feelings?
3. What was meant by the statement, "His name was love"? (p. 296)
"THE WOMAN IN THE ROOM" (pp. 313-326)
1. Why is the man who is visiting his mother in the hospital upset by the thought of the "cortotomy"? (p. 314)
2. Find out as much as you can about Michael Crichton's The Terminal Man and Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. How do these works inform King's story?
3. King makes an unusual comparison as he describes patients walking slowly in the hospital hall. "It is the walk of people who are going nowhere slowly, the walk of college students in caps and gowns filing into a convocation hall." (p. 315) What is your reaction to this comparison?
4. The doctor says, "Your mother can no longer count time in terms of seconds and minutes and hours. She must restructure those units into days and weeks and months." (p. 320) What do you think he means?
5. What is your reaction to what Johnny does to help his mother out of her condition? Do you think mercy killing is ever justified? Explain.
Stories from Nightmares and Dreamscapes
"SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN" (pp. 81-92)
1. Why do you think Miss Sidley picks on her students?
2. How might you explain how she seems to know what her students are thinking or doing?
3. Why is Robert her major nemesis?
4. What does Robert mean when he says, "There's quite a few of us."? (p. 87)
5. Why does Miss Sidley bring a gun to school? Do you think she was justified in using it? Explain your response.
6. How would you explain the ending of the story?
"THE DOCTOR'S CASE" (pp. 551-581)
1. Explain the title of this story.
2. What is meant by "I might as well set it down before God caps my pen forever"? (p. 551)
3. Identify Lestrade, Watson, and Holmes.
4. Why does Lestrade bring Holmes into the case?
5. Who solves the murder? How?
6. Compare this story with a Sherlock Holmes mystery by Arthur Conan Doyle and note the differences in the characters of Dr. Watson and Holmes.
Stories from Skeleton Crew
"WORD PROCESSOR OF THE GODS" (pp. 307-325)
1. What did the title suggest to you before you read the story?
2. Describe the word processor Jon created. Why did he build it?
3. Would you prefer Jon or Seth as a friend? Give your reasons.
4. The Jon we meet at the end of the story is somewhat different from the Jon at the beginning. Discuss how he has changed and what events have made him different.
5. What is Nordhoff's role in this story?
6. Can you justify Richard using the EXECUTE button the way he did? Explain your answer.
"THE MAN WHO WOULD NOT SHAKE HANDS" (pp. 326-344)
1. How does the author build suspense in this story?
2. What is meant by "IT IS THE TALE, NOT HE WHO TELLS IT?" (p. 326)
3. Who are George Gregson's fifty-three "good friends who saw me through my time of trial"? (p. 327) How is this an example of the use of irony?
4. What events lead to Brower never shaking hands? How does George learn of these events?
5. Compare this story with King's novella, "The Breathing Method" in Different Seasons.
"THE REAPER'S IMAGE" (pp. 363-370)
1. Who is the reaper in this story? Where is he seen?
2. What kind of place is the Samuel Claggert Memorial Private Museum?
3. Describe the characteristics of Mr. Carlin and Johnson Spangler. What kind of person is each one?
4. What does the author tell us about Delver Mirrors?
5. Do you like the ending? Give your reasons. Continue the story with an additional episode.
"UNCLE OTTO'S TRUCK" (pp. 427-443)
1. King cautions readers, "Most of you . . . will not believe." (p. 427) How does he make this a believable story?
2. The author compares the final break-down of Uncle Otto's truck with the "wonderful one-Hoss shay" (p. 429) in Oliver Wendell Holmes's poem "The Deacon's Masterpiece." Based on that poem, write your own description of the truck's demise.
3. What observations led to the narrator's suspicion that Uncle Otto murdered his partner? How? Why?
4. Give some examples of how King uses humor in this tale.
Drama
- Have a small group of students develop a classroom dramatic presentation of one of the stories for the class.
- Sponsor a Stephen King Storytelling Festival. Students can sign up to tell their favorite tale. This can be either a group project, where several participate in telling a story, or an individual project. The emphasis is on oral interpretation and making the story come alive. Adaptations are permissible.
- Do a class "campfire" in which each small group of students tells their story utilizing good storytelling techniques. Students should orally capture their listeners' attention as King captures his readers' attention.
Media
- "Inner Sanctum" was a popular radio program. Several cassette recordings have been made and are commercially available. Play one or two of these and compare them with the King stories you have read. Adapt one King story for a similar radio program. Present the adaptation via the school public address system or make a recording for use in another class.
- View one or two "Twilight Zone" videotapes. How well do you think Stephen King's short stories could be adapted for this series? Try choosing one story and make a film/videotape or screen adaptation.
- Several of Stephen King's novels have been made into movies. Choose one from the following list and make a comparison between the book and film versions: Carrie, Misery, The Shining, Dolores Claiborne, The Shawshank Redemption (based on "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" in Different Seasons), or Stand By Me (based on "The Body" in Different Seasons).
Writing
- Encourage students to write their own horror stories. By using a copy machine or word processor, publish a horror story collection. Some students might serve as editors and illustrators. This would be a great Halloween project.
- Using one or more of King's short stories as models, write a horror story in which suspense builds and there is an element of surprise.
- Write a first paragraph for a suspense/horror story that captures the readers' attention in the way King does.
- Setting the scene is important in horror and suspense. Discuss King's settings and develop one of your own for a horror or suspense story.
Reading
- Read what Stephen King has written about evil and analyze the story you have read applying his comments.
- Compare King's plots to the plot of any other horror or suspense story you have read. Discuss why King is such a popular writer.
