Many of Dinesen's stories contain elements of Gothic literature, particularly elements of the supernatural. Dinesen's stories are also frequently written in a style resembling a fairy tale. What elements of a story make it Gothic? What elements of a story make it a fairy tale? Can you write a short story either in the Gothic style or in the style of a fairy tale—or both?

Contemporary critics have faulted Dinesen for her romanticized, Eurocentric depictions of Africa and African people. Learn more about the history of Kenya, where Dinesen owned and managed a coffee plantation for over fifteen years, in the twentieth century. What were the conditions under which the African people were forced to accommodate the European presence in Africa?

See a film adapted from Dinesen's writings. This could include The Immortal Story (1969); Out of Africa (1985); orBabette's Feast...