View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In what country does the story take place?

2. Where does the husband say there is a queen's ransom?

3. Where was the husband's last wife from?

4. What does the young wife say she needs to continue her music studies?

5. What does the husband want her to do with the keys?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do you think the differences are between a novella and a novel?

2. What do you know about Marquis's from other popular fiction?

3. Is it significant that the young girl compares her mother to Medusa?

4. Do you think Carter represents the Marquis as unstable and crazy or just plain evil?

5. What do you think is the significance of the red ribbon?

6. Why do you think the young wife would want to marry the Marquis if she does not love him?

7. What is a libertine?

8. Why does the girl decide to enter the private room?

9. Does Carter subvert the conventions of a fairy tale?

10. What do you think is the chronological setting of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The book is called the Bloody Chamber, a title that speaks for it self. Why do you think Carter has chosen such a straightforward title? What kind of expectations does it give the reader? How important do you think titles are?

Essay Topic 2

The Bloody Chamber is based on a fairy tale called Blue Beard. What are the mechanics of a fairy tale in terms of:

1) Language

2) Character

3) Structure

Essay Topic 3

Carter seems to give everything in the book color. What colors does she use? What tone does this give the novella? Choose two examples of Carter's use of color and discuss what meaning that color gives both the object and the story.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 774 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample