From Tonya

Assigned Reading- The Erlking

1. Identify and briefly define important words, terms, concepts, or characters.

The Erlking- The spirit that comes to take the life of the child

The Father- The father tries his best to keep his son from “Crossing over to the other side

The Son- Heavily influenced by the Erlking’s manner of speaking

2. Summarize the main idea, theme, action, or event of the reading. Be sure to include quotation that best captures the overall feeling or mood of the reading.

It seems as if the child is sick and is between a life and death situation. The Erlking uses persuasion to try and lure the child away from the father and to him. One can elude that the Erlking is something like death. The Erlking’s persuasion is very appropriate when talking to a child. He entices the child by agreeing to play with him and telling him that there are other children there with him as well. The father tries turn his son away from the Erlking by telling the child that it is only the wind and to ignore what he think he hears. Eventually the Erlking takes the child and the father is left with the son’s lifeless body.


3. Formulate a question for discussion. The question should be relatively substantial, based upon a specified passage or scene from the text, and capable of sustaining a thoughtful discussion.

The Erlking has a distinct way of capturing the child attention. For example, “My handsome boy will you come with me?” and “I will play the prettiest game with you”. What if the father had not dismissed the calls of the Erlking and the son was still alive? What could the father have sad to keep his son from dying?