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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. Why does the narrator believe that the figure in the wallpaper is inactive during the day?

2. What is the profession of the narrator’s husband?

3. Who faints at the end of the story?

4. The story covers the span of what season?

5. What year was this story published?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does John tell the narrator is the only person who can truly help her out of her sickness?

2. The narrator briefly considers jumping out the window. Why does she decide against it?

3. The narrator says that she watches the paper always. What does this increasing obsession suggest about the narrator?

4. Why have the narrator and her husband rented the summer house?

5. How does the narrator describe the countryside?

6. Why does the narrator suggest she’s not getting well because ofthe fact that her husband is a physician? What does this say about their relationship?

7. What is the “smooch” on the wall?

8. How does the narrator initially explain her condition?

9. Who is Weir Mitchell?

10. Why is the narrator afraid of being sent to Weir Mitchell?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

“I wonder if they all came out of the wallpaper as I did?” This quote appears at the end of the story. What does it suggest? What does the narrator believe has happened?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the story, John’s names for the narrator become more and more patronizing and child-like. Was the narrator becoming more childlike in her actions, or was John just being patronizing? What effect does this have on the narrator?

Essay Topic 3

The narrator states that she will not jump out of the window lest it be misconstrued. Why is she more concerned about her reputation rather than the fact that if she jumped out the window she would be severely injured or killed? What does this suggest?

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