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

Short Answer Questions

1. Where is the room the husband does not want his wife to go?

2. How big does the young wife say the opal on her ring is?

3. What does the young wife call the piano tuner?

4. What does the young wife say the castle looks like when she switches on all the lights?

5. What does the young wife remember as she lies in her new bedroom?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what ways does the young wife romanticize her marriage to the Marquis?

2. Why do you think the story constantly harks back to past times?

3. Why do you think the husband tries to tempt his young wife with the small key?

4. Why do you think Carter does not use names for the main characters?

5. Describe what a catafalque is.

6. In what way does the Marquis show shame at what he has done?

7. How is it significant that the piano tuner is blind?

8. What reason do you think the young wife cries to her mother?

9. In what way does the marquis lie about the appearance of the corridor that leads to his secret room?

10. What do you think is the significance of the opal?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using two examples from the book discuss the following statement. The story plays on the reader's expectations and changes them to mold a different meaning.

Essay Topic 2

The Bloody Chamber is a novella. What do you think are the differences between a novella and a novel in terms of:

1) Language

2) Character

3) Structure

Essay Topic 3

Carter uses many conventions from folk and fairy tales. What conventions do you recognize from the book? Take two examples and discuss how Carter uses them. Does she give them new meaning.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 780 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample