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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. What does Dupin NOT tell Edmund about Arnold's classified ad?

2. What happens to the ship Edmund's sister was on?

3. Where is Edmund reunited with his mother?

4. As they are saying goodbye, what does Edmund accuse Poe of being afraid of?

5. What kind of book does the person Edmund sees at the cemetery drop?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What is the symbolism, in Chapter 13, of Dupin's imagining that Helen's mothers guests are demons wearing masks of black death?

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. What can the reader learn about the real-life Poe in this novel?

5. 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?

6. Do you think Poe is able to make up his own mind whether or not to root for Edmund's happiness, or does his nature force him to hope for the worst?

7. 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?

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

9. What is the importance of the guests' discussion of whether it is possible to read a man's character from his face?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dupin/Poe tells Edmund that "lies have their own truth." Do you agree? Do you think this is the case only in fiction, or in real life as well?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 13, the guests discuss whether it is possible to read a man's character from his face. Do you think they are accurately describing Dupin's approach to crime solving? For example, does Dupin/Poe attempt to discern whether a man is honest simply by looking at him? Do you think you can generally "judge a book by its cover", or is more probing required to get to the truth?

Essay Topic 3

Keeping in mind that this novel is a work of fiction, do you agree with Poe when he tells Edmund that Sis would have "lived longer" in his story than she could in reality? Do you think Poe himself has in a sense lived longer because of his presence in this novel?

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