Benito Cereno Lesson Plan

From this opening section, what kind of story do you think Benito Cereno is going to be? Why?

Benito Cereno opens in an exotic location—a deserted island far, far away—and immediately introduces a strange, ghostly ship. The ship, and the behavior of those aboard, is a mystery. The first page projects a sense of foreboding: “Shadows present, foreshadowing deeper shadows to come.” The rising sun looks like a “sinister eye”. The figurehead of the ship is hidden. The San Dominick is old and decaying—“the ship seems unreal”—and it moves over the water “hearse-like”. From the opening pages, it feels like Benito Cereno is going to be a mystery/ghost/horror story.

How is...