Recommended Literature
Here are some specific stories at elementary, middle school, and high school levels that share themes of horror, suspense, or supernatural elements, which can be compared to Halloween and to "Thriller" by Michael Jackson:
Elementary School:
Middle School:
High School:
These stories can serve as excellent starting points for discussions and comparisons with "Thriller." They offer a range of complexity and depth suitable for different grade levels while exploring common themes found in horror and suspenseful literature. Teachers and students can analyze narrative techniques, character development, and the use of suspense in both the music video and these literary works.
Elementary School:
- "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak (Picture Book): - Compare the transformation of the protagonist, Max, into the "Wild Things" with the transformation of characters in "Thriller." Discuss how both stories explore the theme of imagination and transformation.
- "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark" by Alvin Schwartz (Short Stories): - Select age-appropriate stories from this collection, such as "The Big Toe" or "The Haunted House," and discuss how they create suspense and fear similar to the mood in "Thriller."
Middle School:
- "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe (Short Story): - Analyze the unreliable narrator and the building sense of dread in this classic - Discuss the consequences of wishes and the supernatural elements in this story, drawing parallels to the transformation and supernatural themes in "Thriller."
High School:
- "Dracula" by Bram Stoker (Novel): - Explore themes of vampirism, transformation, and the supernatural in Stoker's classic. Compare the portrayal of monsters in "Dracula" to the zombies in "Thriller."
- "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson (Short Story): - Discuss the suspense and shock value in this story, and analyze the social commentary it offers. Compare it to the impact and social commentary of "Thriller."
- "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson (Novella): - Examine themes of duality and transformation in Stevenson's work, drawing parallels to the transformation depicted in "Thriller."
These stories can serve as excellent starting points for discussions and comparisons with "Thriller." They offer a range of complexity and depth suitable for different grade levels while exploring common themes found in horror and suspenseful literature. Teachers and students can analyze narrative techniques, character development, and the use of suspense in both the music video and these literary works.
