Welcome to Dead House

At the end of the book, a new family arrives at Dead House. What does Stine ending the book this way say about the supernatural forces powering the town? Based on this ending and other supernatural explanations and evidence, explore what this supernatural force truly is. Based on your definition, what would it take to truly break the town’s cycle? Why?

Using the ideas present in The Benefits of Teamwork and Trust, choose three places where Amanda dismisses her concerns about the house or town and explore how the story would have been different if she had trusted herself in those moments. How would Amanda’s character have changed as a result of placing trust in herself?

Compare and contrast Amanda and Josh, both in terms of who they are and how they react to situations. How might the story have been different if Josh were the point-of-view character? Choose three major events and demonstrate how they would have been viewed differently by Josh.

Consider the qualifications that the town may use to choose its victims. What evidence from the text supports your idea?

In Chapter 3, Amanda struggles with the idea of leaving the only home she’s ever known and adjusting to a new place and lifestyle. Using Amanda’s mindset here and the techniques she uses to accept her new home in Dark Falls, explore the effect of change on people.

Explore Stine’s choice of words throughout Welcome to Dead House. How do the words used to tell a story convey the mood and how the reader should feel while reading? Does the language help ground Welcome to Dead House in the horror genre and cement Stine as a horror author? Why or why not?

In Chapter 6, Amanda is struck by the idea that there are bugs in her bed because she’s suddenly itchy. Using this and similar incidents, explore the role psychology plays in how people react to fear.

In Chapter 8, Amanda thinks that she’s imagining things, rather than being distressed and untethered by the strange events in Dead House. Discuss the idea of control in terms of emotions and reactions.