Spooky Irving
Why are Ichabod Crane and Brom Bones feuding in the story of Sleepy Hollow?
They both are infatuated with Katrina and want to spend time with her / they're vying for her affection.
What is very odd / disturbing about the Usher family that the narrator mentions early in the story?
The family is largely inbred; have engaged in incest for generations. It's somewhat implied in the story that Roderick and Madeline are also romantically involved.
What does the cat represent in "The Black Cat"?
Guilt of the narrator; his descent into insanity
What does the veil that the minister wears represent?
Sin and secrets
What is being personified in Emily Dickinson's poem, "Because I could not stop for death"?
Death, itself. Death is acting as a person / companion as Dickinson (or the narrator) embarks on a journey from life to the afterlife.
Why does Tom Walker go searching for his wife in the story?
She took many valuables to trade to the Devil in exchange for his help / the land where the buried treasure is hidden.
What is the tone of the narrator's writing? What feelings does the reader experience as the narrator arrives at the house and spends time with Roderick?
The writing is very gloomy; spooky; superstitious; eerie; oppressive; etc.
How is Prince Prospero portrayed in "Masque of the Red Death"?
He's a fool / he's dumb; threw a party in the middle of a pandemic. He also is quick to threaten the guest with execution; he's unmerciful.
How do the townspeople react when he starts to wear the veil?
They are initially nervous about it and wonder why he wears it. Eventually leads to them avoiding him entirely.
In his different sections of "Song of Myself", what behavior / trait does Whitman write about when he's putting himself into the shoes of heroes?
Courage. They all are examples of types of courage.
Outside of teaching, what does Ichabod do in terms of work?
He's also the choir master / instructor of the community.
Roderick appears to be struggling with illness as the narrator arrives. What seems to add to his feeling so poorly?
The illness of Madeline, his sister. The added stress of her illness causes his own to worsen.
On the new cat's chest, what shape does the white patch look like?
A gallows (structure for hanging)
Why is it important that the minister wears the veil even in death?
It shows the level of importance behind his sin and that he never escaped it / resolved it.
Why can the line (and poem) "Much madness is divinest sense" by Emily Dickinson be considered an example of paradox?
It implies that those who are insane understand life better than those who are considered "sane"; normally wouldn't be this way.
What does the Devil represent in the story of Tom Walker? (Hint: Think, what is the message of the story?)
Greed; temptation
What secret does Roderick keep from the narrator until the end of the story?
He's buried Madeline alive and comes to terms with the fact right before she breaks out of the vault and makes her way to the library.
What happens when the guests attempt to stop / arrest the party guest who's shown up in a gruesome costume?
There is no body behind the costume; the guest is the physical embodiment of the disease / death. The other guests start to die one by one.
What was the minister's sin?
Trick question: the story never explicitly states what it was.
In "A child said 'What is the grass?'" Whitman gives several answers for what the grass actually is / represents. Name one of them.
Multiple answers accepted; flag of my disposition, handkerchief of the Lord, a child, hieroglyphic, uncut hair of graves.
What leads to Ichabod leaving the community?
Superstition; he thinks he sees the Horseman and that it chases after him. It's unclear whether he's dead or alive. Rumors of him in neighboring areas.
What is so important about the ending of "The Fall of the House of Usher"?
Drives home the idea that there was a connection between the family and the house. As the family line ends, the house also ceases to be / falls to the ground.
How is the narrator caught in Black Cat?
The new cat yowls from inside the wall where the narrator buried / hid his wife. This alerts the police who are investigating.
Based on this story, what could be said of the author (Hawthorne) and his feelings towards the church / Puritanism?
He didn't like the way they did things. He didn't appreciate their hypocrisy. They were doing the very things they preached against.
What is the meaning of the line "tell the truth but tell it slant" in Dickinson's poem of the same name?
Multiple answers accepted; It's best to deliver the truth gradually / indirectly and avoid overwhelming the person to whom you're speaking.