Summary
How does Miranda first try to escape?
She tries to lock Frederick in the room and escape up through the basement door. p. 45
What is the effect of the book being written in Hindsight?
It allows for clear comments that foreshadows events
Guess a number between 1-7
3
What is the effect of the POV being from Frederick's perspective?
The reader gains an insight into how he justifies his actions and how he percieves Miranda.
In what city does Frederick do all his shopping?
What are the terms to the agreement Miranda and Frederick agree to, concerning Miranda's release?
Miranda is allowed one bath per week, she is not allowed to go on hunger strike, they talk like friends, more freedom and fresh air. If she complies she will be released after 4 weeks. p. 46-47
What effect does the foreshadowing, when Frederick in brackets describe the turning point in his and Mirandas relationship, affect how we see the development of their relationship.
(Before what happened)
It is forshadowed that their relationship will fail, which shows the true nature of what is happening, which contrasts to the way Frederick describes it.
Cooperation, how they can live together.
Power distribution
Fear, admiration, obsession.
Including other if you can argue for it.
How does Frederick idealise Miranda, and how does his perception of her change?
She is pure (not dirty like other women), and she is above class differences. This changes in how Frederick feels that Miranda is critical of the way he speaks (he speaks with an English of lower class than her).
Who carries the conversation between Frederick and Miranda, and what does this tell about their relationship.
Miranda mostly carries the conversation, which signifies how Frederick is very passive in their relationship.
What happens during and after the midnight walk?
Miranda confronts Frederick about wanting to kiss her. p. 61-62
Why does a man want to see his cellar?
A man from the ancient monuments people wishes to see Fredericks cellar, because there is an old priests chapel that he wants to inspect. p. 57-58
What is the power dynamics between Frederick and Miranda?
Frederick is in physical control. Miranda tries to mainpulate Frederick and gain control so she can escape. The idea of having Miranda (collecting her) has control over Frederick. p. 69
How does Frederick justify his actions/keeping Miranda?
But I can tell you there'd be a blooming lot more of this if more people had the money and the time to do it. p. 32
Other men would be much harder and stricter
Miranda refers to Frederick as "Caliban", what is this an intertextual reference to?
The Tempest by Shakespeare
Caliban is half human half monster, and Miranda calls Frederick this because she argues that there is a monster inside him that is making him imprison her. p. 61
Miranda is also a character in The Tempest, and in The Tempest Caliban tried to rape Miranda.
What happens directly after her first bath while imprisoned?
He shows her the house and she criticizes the house and the art of collecting. They then make tea He is revolted by the things he says, but thrilled that he gets to take photos of her p. 52-55
What is the significance of the photographs vs the paintings?
"When you draw something it lives and when you photograph it it dies" p. 55
How does the scene with the apples represent the character's outlook on the world.
Miranda believes that there is beauty in the unfinished and imperfect, while Frederick finds beauty in the aesthetically pleasing, like his butterflies. p. 60-61
Miranda likes inner beauty while Frederick likes outer beauty.
How does Frederick catch Miranda in her attempt to communicate with the outside world?
Miranda hides a slip of paper in an envelope, with a letter is meant to send to her parents so that they know she is ok. p. 68
100 bonus points: What did she write on the slip of paper, try to quote it from the book (without looking in the book).