Today we will be reading Edgar Allan Poe's short story "The Masque of the Red Death," a tale about a man who, out of fear of a disease, shuts all of his friends inside a castle.

In order to prepare for the reading, write a paragraph of at least five sentences explaining what you would take with you if you had to shut yourself up inside a fortress for a month. This is a LIVE post, so use your first  name only. Your grade will be based only on your editing skills, so proofread very, very carefully before you submit.

Today we will begin studying American Romanticism, the period following the Revolutionary War. This literary period is considered the birth of American writing. One of the most well-known authors of the time, Washington Irving, took an archetypal tale and made it his own. Before reading "The Devil and Tom Walker," respond to this question: How do you imagine the devil? Consider discussing gender, looks, purpose, and character. Write one to two paragraphs in response to the question and use standard English, including complete sentences and correct usage and mechanics. Identify yourself with your initials.