NEVER BET THE DEVIL YOUR HEAD (Edgar Allan Poe)

"Never Bet the Devil Your Head" is a clear attack on transcendentalism, which the narrator calls a "disease" afflicting Toby Dammit. The narrator, in fact, sends the bill for Dammit's funeral expenses to the transcendentalists, who refuse to pay because of their disbelief in evil.

1. LITERATURE II Teacher: Lic. Alberto Santamaría Students: a) Edwar Emilio Olmedo Martínez b) Alejandro Peña Date: Thursday, March 23, 17

2. Elements of the short story: Characters: Direct characterization : Toby Dammit, Toby Dammit´s mother, Toby Dammit´s friend, the little lame old gentleman. Indirect characterization : Mr. Coleridge, Mr. Kant, Mr. Emerson.

3. Setting : a) Toby Dammit´s home, the river and the bridge. b) Time: Past (deceased Toby Dammit)

4. Plot a) External conflicts : between Toby Dammit and his friend. b) Internal conflicts : It occurs in Toby Dammit´s mind.

5. Five stages of the plot: a) Exposition: Toby Dammit had many vices , he had many chastisements from his mother at home, and he went on increasing his iniquity . b) Rising action : Toby Dammit came to be a man and he liked to use the formula “I´ll bet you so and so” in all his assertions .

6. c) Climax : Toby Dammit offered to bet the devil his head that he could leap the stile , and cut a pigeon-wing over it in the air . d) Falling action : Toby Dammit was deprived of his head. e) Resolution : Toby Dammit´s friend was right because Toby was not able to leap the stile ; Toby was a stubborn person .

7. POINT OF VIEW : It´s first person point of view because the narrator is a character in the short story , that is , Toby Dammit´s friend .

8. THEMES: Vices and bets Mistreatment Pain Poverty Lack of consciousness Pride Anger Death