Description
The Body Snatcher is a chilling Gothic mystery short story by Robert Louis Stevenson that never fails to captivate students. Told through an embedded narrative, this unsettling tale is inspired by the real-life crimes of William Burke and William Hare in 1828, making it a powerful blend of fiction and historical reality.
The Burke and Hare murders involved a series of sixteen killings in Edinburgh, Scotland, where the men sold human bodies to Dr. Robert Knox for use in anatomy lectures. This dark chapter of history provides rich context for Stevenson’s story and opens the door to meaningful discussions about ethics, science, morality, and exploitation in the nineteenth century.
In this short story analysis, students read the full text of “The Body Snatcher” and build comprehension through targeted academic vocabulary instruction, supported by a graphic organizer and answer key. A detailed PowerPoint presentation introduces students to Stevenson’s life and major works while explaining the historical practice of body snatching, the role of resurrection men, and the significance of the Anatomy Act of 1832. Students also learn about the Burke and Hare murders, sometimes referred to as the West Port murders, which directly influenced the story.
As students read, they complete reading comprehension questions that guide close reading and textual analysis. After reading, students engage in discussion questions and a theme analysis graphic organizer that require them to examine Stevenson’s use of structure, mood, and moral ambiguity. Answer keys are provided for all activities, and materials are available in both PDF and editable Word formats for flexibility.
This lesson is ideal for gothic literature units, historical fiction studies, or any middle school or high school ELA classroom looking to pair literature with real historical events. The Body Snatcher challenges students to think critically about the intersection of science, crime, and humanity, making it a memorable and thought-provoking addition to your curriculum.