The Mist

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. This story is a blend of science fiction and horror. What are some examples of science-fiction or horror stories that are popular? What do people enjoy about movies or books in these genres? What titles serve as good examples of a horror/sci-fi blend?

Teaching Suggestion: Students might be prompted with examples of titles and suggestions as to what might be the appeal behind being afraid or “enjoying a good scare.” If they need more ideas, you may suggest famous examples such as Frankenstein, War of the Worlds, or Jurassic Park. Small groups might first brainstorm lists together and then add their titles to a board or display them for comparison to those of other groups.

• “The Psychology Behind Why We Love (or Hate) Horror” by Haiyang Yang and Kuangjie Zhang is a discussion of the psychological function and appeal of horror stories.
• “What Horror Films Reveal About Society’s Fears” by Oliver Ward is an article from CU Denver News that explains and discusses the social and psychological benefits of horror fiction.

2. The Mist is an example of apocalyptic horror brought about by science. What other stories featuring disaster or the collapse of ­­civilization because of science might belong to this sub-genre? 

Teaching Suggestion: Students might be prompted with an explanation of eco-anxiety and discuss how it might apply to The Mist. You may also supply them with titles of novels and films (Ready Player One, The Road, The Hunger Games, Wall*E) that address eco-anxiety to spark a conversation. These are other resources that might help in introducing the sub-genre to those unfamiliar with the concept:

• “Feeling Anxious About Climate Change? Here Are 5 Tips to Manage Those Feelings” is an article from National Public Radio that explains and discusses eco-anxiety.
• This article from Iberdrola explores the growing phenomenon of eco-anxiety and how it affects people. It also suggests tips for overcoming it and leaves the reader with a reason to be hopeful.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novella.

What do you think is the most likely natural civilization-ending disaster that might occur? Would it be a natural event or the result of human activity? Consider what you might do to respond to (or prevent) that disaster. This could take the form of a list of actions or a short story. 

Teaching Suggestion: Students could be prompted by ideas in the Science News article “Top 10 Threats to the Survival of Civilization.”

Differentiation Suggestion: Alternatively, advanced students or students who would benefit from opportunities to learn more about genre history might make a list of books and/or movies containing examples of as many different disasters as they can find from a variety of time periods. Students might be encouraged to include highly improbable and supernatural disasters (e.g., Sharknado, zombie apocalypse, etc.). The discussion above might include preparations they would need to deal with those disasters and consideration for the different ways in which members of society might react. Additionally, discussion after writing might be a good opportunity to introduce the story’s themes, including The Fear of the Unknown and Religious Fanaticism.