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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 Poe do with his story before walking away?

2. When Poe arrives at the scene where Edmund is trying to rescue his sister, how does he say he figured out the meaning of the decoded message?

3. Where does Edmund go to find his sister?

4. How does Edmund escape his pursuer at the docks?

5. When they return to Edmund's room after Edmund is attacked, what does Dupin tell Edmund to find?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

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. How does the final chase scene in Chapter 21 differ from the rest of the novel?

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

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. What does Dupin mean in Chapter 14 when he tells Edmund that "the story is over"?

7. Why do both Dupin and Edmund frequently believe they have seen ghosts?

8. What is the turning point Edmund experiences in Chapter 14?

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

10. Why do you think the author uses the circular technique of starting Poe's story in a way that is identical to the start of the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Edmund has one trusted adult friend: Captain Elias. Why do you think he waits so long to visit Captain Elias and seek out his help? Do you see this as a flaw in the novel? Does the author have Edmund avoid his friend just so that his relationship with Dupin/Poe can play out in a more interesting way? Do you think the author should have deleted Captain Elias from the novel, and imparted the information Captain Elias shares in some other way?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the process of Edmund's coming of age in the novel. What are the influences that trigger his development? How does he change from a helpless child to a brave, assertive rescuer?

Essay Topic 3

Do you think Edmund should have continued to trust Dupin, even though he kept letting him down? Or should he have taken matters into his own hands sooner? Do you think trusting Dupin is a choice or a necessity?

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