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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 does the story take place?

2. Who is Auguste Dupin?

3. When they first meet, in exchange for Edmund's help, what does Dupin agree to do?

4. Who is Fortnoy?

5. When Dupin identifies Rachett as Edmund's step-father, what does Edmund tell him about the reason his mother came to America?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Edmund sees Dupin asleep, surrounded by empty liquor bottles, in Chapter Three, what conflict does it bring about it Edmund's thinking?

2. What do you think is Dupin's primary motivation for helping Edmund?

3. Why do you think Poe chooses to go by the name of his fictional detective?

4. Based on the prologue, what do you think is the author's opinion of Poe as a writer?

5. Why do you think the author has Dupin tell Edmund that he has certain critical information, but refuses to share it with him?

6. What is the significance of Edmund's direct accusation, in Chapter Nine, that Dupin has abandoned him?

7. How does the setting reflect Edmund's emotional state?

8. How do you think the novel would be different if there were no prologue?

9. Do you think Edmund should have stopped to help the old man before returning home?

10. Why do you think the author decided to set up a mystery in the style of Edgar Allan Poe?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why do you think the characters frequently think they see ghosts throughout the novel? What do the ghosts symbolize? What is the significance of the fact that these characters generally realize immediately that ghosts don't really exist?

Essay Topic 2

Once the central conflict of Sis's disappearance is resolved, do you characterize Poe's dissatisfaction with it as a twist? Poe makes it clear to Edmund that he believes he can give Sis immortality in his story. Is Poe's lack of reaction to Sis's recovery to be expected, or is it a surprise that adds color and depth to the final moments of the story?

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of the story Poe is writing throughout the course of the novel? How does it change, and how do these changes reflect the changes in Poe's character and in his relationship with Edmund?

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