Mission & Preparation
Under what alias did Nellie Bly enter the asylum?
Nellie Brown
What women’s shelter did Bly use to begin her ruse?
The Temporary Home for Females
What strong sensory detail did Bly recall from the ambulance ride to Blackwell’s Island?
The attendant’s whisky breath.
From which point of view does Bly tell her story?
First-person
Bly’s regret at leaving behind sane women reflects what emotional tension in her conclusion?
Relief at escape mixed with guilt over those still trapped.
Which newspaper sent Bly on this undercover assignment?
The New York World
How much did Bly pay per night so she’d run out of money quickly?
Thirty cents
Which repetitive sound in the ward symbolized its relentless routine?
The clanging of the bell.
By giving human motion to her shivering fears—“wintery chills ran races up and down my back”—Bly employs this device.
Personification
Her exposé led to increased funding and oversight. What does this outcome suggest about the power of storytelling?
That immersive journalism can drive tangible reform
What skill did Bly credit for her ability to pass as insane.
Her talent as an actress
Emotion Bly exaggerated to alarm Mrs. Stanard and prompt her commitment.
Fear and sorrow
Which handcraft occupied many of the female inmates?
Knitting and lace-making.
When Bly’s lucid replies only deepen the staff’s conviction of her madness, she highlights this twist of fate.
Irony
Bly’s story challenges the idea that madness is easily diagnosed. What broader critique does this support?
That institutions often reflect social bias more than medical accuracy.
Which three items did Bly say “hide” the asylum’s workings from the public?
White-capped nurses, bolts, and bars
What sign of true sanity did Bly drop once she was safely inside the asylum?
She abandoned her “crazy” behavior and spoke and acted normally.
How did Bly describe the asylum’s hallways to emphasize discomfort?
She noted the uncarpeted floors that echoed every footstep.
Bly’s vivid sensory details (smells, sounds, textures) help the reader experience what?
The physical and psychological discomfort of institutional life.
By publishing her experience in a major newspaper, Bly transforms private suffering into what?
Public accountability and collective outrage.
What instruction did Bly’s editor give about how to report what she found?
“Write up things as you find them, good or bad… and the truth all the time.”
How did Bly keep track of key staff members during her stay?
She wrote their names in her notebook.
Though Bly speaks and moves like any sane person, she discovers this cruel irony in the doctors’ verdict.
The saner her behavior, the more insane they declare her
Why does Bly use humor while describing cruelty in the asylum?
To expose absurdity, keep readers engaged
The lasting legacy of Bly’s work lies not just in reform, but in what shift in journalism?
The rise of immersive, investigative reporting