There are very few short stories where English teachers get to go all out on their love of color symbolism, but “The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe provides the perfect excuse to do so! Poe supplies the colors in this spooky short story, but it’s up to his readers to decipher their meaning. Every hue tells a story in this haunting tale, so get ready to go absolutely wild with these Masque of the Red Death activities! They will up the engagement and help students see the dark side of the rainbow (insert maniacal laugh, MUAHAHAHA).
Hook Students with a Red Death Vibe
Set the mood before you even say a word. When students walk into your classroom, have a creepy red castle ambient video playing on the screen. This alone will be enough to pique their curiosity, but if you are in the mood to be extra, you can also add red lightbulbs to your classroom lamps. Suddenly, students are inside the story before they’ve even opened their books.
Introduce Color Symbolism in The Masque of the Red Death
Before diving into the text, build some background knowledge on color symbolism. This is where you can really lean into the fun. Instead of simply telling students what colors represent, warm them up with short, cryptic lines about each hue (for example: “Blue: serenity with a shadow of sorrow”). By the time you’re done, they’ll be itching to see how these symbolic shades show up in Poe’s story.
You can use these color riddles in two ways:
For the slideshow approach: Present each riddle one at a time, giving students time to discuss their guesses with partners before revealing the answer. This builds anticipation and encourages critical thinking about color associations.
For the gallery walk variation: Print each riddle and post them around your classroom. Have small groups rotate through the stations, discussing and recording their guesses before reconvening for the reveal session. This adds movement and collaboration to the learning process.
Annotate The Masque of the Red Death using Color Symbolism
Now comes the close reading magic. As you guide students through the story, have them notice and note the colors they see using corresponding crayons or digital highlighters. For this Masque of the Red Death activity, students will need: red, blue, purple, green, orange, white, violet, and black. As they read, students should mark every color reference they encounter. They will see both explicit and implicit color symbolism. For example:
Explicit colors are directly stated in the text. When Poe writes “blue chamber” or “scarlet stains,” students highlight these obvious references.
Implicit colors require inference and deeper thinking. When Poe mentions “blood,” students should recognize this as red symbolism even though the word “red” isn’t used. Similarly, references to night, shadows, or darkness connect to black symbolism.
This annotation process serves multiple purposes. First, it keeps students actively engaged with the text rather than passively reading. Second, it helps them notice Poe’s use of color throughout the narrative. Finally, it provides a visual to analyze at the end!
After completing the annotation, have students step back and examine their color-coded text. Which colors appear most frequently? Where do patterns occur in the text? How do the colors shift as the story progresses? This visual analysis often reveals things that students might miss with black and white annotations alone.
Discuss How Color Symbolism Enhances the Allegory
Once students have their color annotations, bring this activity together with a discussion. This is where color symbolism transforms from a surface-level observation into meaningful literary analysis. There is no definitive “answer” to what the colors might symbolize. Some say they represent the stages of life from birth to death, and others believe each color represents a dark side of the human condition. Poe leaves this up to the reader to decide, which is what makes The Masque of the Red Death so fun to discuss!
Here are a few Masque of the Red Death Questions and Discussion Starters:
- Which color do you feel has the greatest symbolic importance, and why?
- Are there any connections between the sequence of colors and the progression of events in the story?
- How might the absence of colors in the story change its meaning?
- The Black Plague and Yellow Fever are real pandemics throughout history. What color plague would be the scariest to you and why?
Create Pop-up Rooms to Showcase the Theme
Finally, let students transform analysis into creation. Have them design 3D “pop-up” rooms that highlight the symbolism of a chosen chamber. Think of it as a new spin on a Masque of the Red Death One Pager. For instance, my 3D purple room example represents opulence and excessive wealth. These things give a false sense of security, but as the story warns, death comes for all, no matter their status. To enhance this theme, I added the quote “Death held illimitable dominion over all” and a scale to represent death as the equalizer.
This creative project allows students to demonstrate their understanding of color symbolism while engaging in hands-on work that brings the theme to life. Each room should feature textual evidence, symbolism explanations, and creative flair. When displayed together, these rooms create a haunting visual for The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe.
Teaching The Masque of the Red Death
When students recognize how Poe uses color to enhance mood, develop theme, and create symbolic meaning, they develop analytical skills that transfer to other texts and contexts. These Masque of the Red Death activities prove that English teachers don’t have to choose between fun and academic rigor.
Your students will leave this color symbolism lesson plan with a deeper appreciation for author’s choice, and you’ll have a collection of creative pop-up rooms that showcase their growth as literary analysts. Sometimes the best teaching happens when we let ourselves get a little carried away with our enthusiasm for the subject we love!
If you like a print and go Masque of the Red Death lesson plan, you can download that here: The Masque of the Red Death by Poe: Color Symbolism, Lesson Plans, & Activities
