Characters
Is given $10 and a lesson in morality
Rodger
Roger wanted money to buy a pair of brown suede shoes.
False
What influence does Mary’s pregnancy have in "Lamb to the Slaughter"?
Dahl uses the pregnancy to both explain Mary’s motives for her actions (she doesn’t want her unborn child killed or abandoned if she is given a death sentence for the murder of her husband) and also to increase the sympathy that we feel for her.
Lit term: A comparison using "like "or "as."
Simile
Giving human characteristics to inanimate objects
Personification
Speaks out against her mother when she is "shown off" like a trophy at the market
Waverly or "Mei Mei"
Mathilde borrows a fur shawl to wear to the ball.
False
Name two of the many clever things Montresor does to lure Fortunato into his trap.
First, he dangles a rare treat, the Amontillado, before Fortunato, who is a known wine connoisseur. Second, he finds Fortunato on a party night when he’s already a bit drunk and his defenses are down. Third, he continues to ply Fortunato with alcohol to further blur his judgment. Fourth, he uses the threat of Fortunato losing his opportunity to sample the Amontillado to a rival, Luchresi. Fifth, he pretends several times that it would be best for them not to proceed further down the path, knowing that Fortunato will insist they continue.
Roger’s face is dirty and he washes up at Mrs. Jones’ sink. What point is Hughes trying to make with the extended elements involving Roger’s dirty face and the warm water?
The dirt on his face represents the sinful life he’s been living before meeting Mrs. Jones. She gives him the opportunity to literally clean his face, but there’s also a figurative cleansing of his soul happening here. The water is also warm, just as Mrs. Jones’ spirit is a warm, welcoming one. It can also represent baptism rituals and the washing away of sins. Roger is reborn this evening and the reader senses that he’s been forever-changed by his interactions with Mrs. Jones.
“The revolver pointed as rigidly as if the giant were a statue.” This is an example of a...
Simile
A police officer whose murder will likely never be solved by authorities
Patrick Maloney
At the end of “Rules of the Game,” Waverly is imagining herself winning against her mother in chess.
False
A parent’s love can be described as a double-edged sword, having the power to both defend and destroy a child. Explain how this is true in the case of Waverly’s mother.
Waverly’s mother is, ultimately, acting out of love for her daughter. She wants Waverly to excel. However, the mother also wants to control her daughter’s actions, as seen in small details like teaching Waverly how to pose for the magazine photographer and hassling her about losing fewer pieces in the next chess match. A mother’s love is very powerful. It can protect and help a child, but the removal of that love can be devastating, as we see with Waverly, who talks about the “sharp silence” she feels from her mother whose eyes are compared to “dangerous” black slits.
Lau Po gives Waverly a new chess set to use when preparing for her next chess tournament.
False
When the audience knows more about the situation than the characters in the story do
Dramatic Irony
Claims that he is a connoisseur of wine
Fortunato
This contains a metaphor: Love is a battlefield.
True
One theme that could be taken from "Lamb to the Slaughter" is that appearances are not an accurate reflection of reality. Give one example (paraphrasing is fine) from the story that support this theme.
1. The domestic scene with Mary at the very beginning appears to be warm and content. However, we soon learn that Patrick does not enjoy the same comfort in his home/relationship. It’s not a happy home, after all.
2. Mary appears to be a docile, subservient housewife, when she is, in fact, a violent murderer. Her outer appearance of sweetness and light disguise her dark interior.
3. One would think the police would be extra vigilant in locating the murderer of their co-worker and friend. However, their familiarity with Mary makes them careless and less effective than they would be in catching someone else’s murderer.
What influence does Patrick’s profession have on the story?
It increases the intensity of the irony at the end. Because he is a police officer, his wife is able to take advantage of the other officers’ myopia. If he had not been a police officer, Mary very likely would’ve been eyed more suspiciously and caught.
When words express something that is contrary to the truth; or, someone says the opposite of what they think or feel
Verbal Irony
Accepts her misfortune with unexpected grace and fortitude
Mathilde Loisel
Mary's act against her husband was premeditated
False
Is Montresor a reliable or unreliable narrator in "The Cask of Amontillado? Why or why not?
Montresor is the classic unreliable narrator. We should not fully believe everything he says, as he is clearly mentally deranged. He’s a murderer who never gives us a full or satisfying reason for the murder. He’s acting on emotion, but we are not able to tell if his actions are justified and we should sense that they probably aren’t. Also, he’s telling this story 50 years later, meaning that details and accuracies have certainly faded with time.
Give an example of personification.
When there is a difference in what is expected and what actually happens
Situational Irony