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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Where is Edmund reunited with his mother?
(a) In a saloon.
(b) In a cemetery.
(c) In a bank.
(d) In a church.

2. What does Dupin find in the mausoleum?
(a) Edmund's sister.
(b) A sleeping bag.
(c) A straw mattress.
(d) A coffin.

3. What does seeing himself in Edmund lead Poe to do?
(a) Think of himself as Edmund's father.
(b) Try to make Edmund as unhappy as he is.
(c) Relate to Edmund's twin sister as well.
(d) Try to give Edmund a better ending to his own story.

4. Who does Mrs. Powers want her daughter to marry?
(a) Mr. Poley.
(b) Mr. Peterson.
(c) Mr. Arnold.
(d) Mr. Poe.

5. This novel combines _____.
(a) A made-up character named Poe with other real authors' fictional characters.
(b) True historical details about Poe and true details about Poe's fictional characters.
(c) True details about Poe and made-up details about Poe's fictional characters.
(d) A made-up character named Poe with made-up characters.

Short Answer Questions

1. When Edmund arrives to rescue his sister, who is trying to take her away?

2. Who does Dupin tell Edmund that Rachett has killed?

3. What does Poe believe when he first sees Edmund with his mother?

4. Why does Poe believe he will not marry Mrs. Whitman at the end of the novel?

5. What does another of the notices say?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do you think Edmund makes the final decision to tear up Poe's story before going to the docks to rescue Sis?

2. What does Dupin mean in Chapter 16 when he tells Edmund that "lies have their own truth"?

3. Why do you think Dupin decides that his work is done after summing up the details of the solved mystery in Chapter 17?

4. Do you think Poe is a coward for giving up on marrying Helen because, as he says, too many timid people feel threatened by his power as a writer?

5. Why do you think Poe drops the remainder of his story on the ground before walking away from Edward for the last time?

6. If you were Edmund, how do you feel about Poe's assertion that Sis lives on longer in Poe's story than she does in real life?

7. Why is it significant in Chapter 14 that Edmund first begins to doubt Dupin's detective skills after talking to Captain Elias?

8. How do you think Edmund felt upon reading the beginning of Poe's story, and seeing the name "Edgar" changed to "Edmund"? Do you think it made him regret having torn up the rest of the story?

9. How does Edmund's character change by Chapter 18, compared to the Prologue?

10. What is the symbolism in Chapter 19 of Poe's belief upon seeing Edmund and his mother that his characters have come to life?

(see the answer keys)

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