Pit and the Pendulum
As the pendulum is getting closer and
closer to the narrator, what hope briefly
comes to his mind in the midst of this
hopeless situation?
The pendulum was designed to cross the region of his heart,
but he hopes that perhaps the pendulum will cut through the
leather straps before it is able to kill him.
Explain the dual meaning of “game” in
the title “Most Dangerous Game”
1.Quarry (prey)
2.Sport (hunting
1. Why is Madame Loisel upset at
receiving the invitation to the
fancy party?
2. Why does Mme. Loisel want to
hurry away from the ball?
1. She didn’t have anything to wear
2. She didn’t want anyone to see her plain and ugly coat
How does the speaker in
“Tell-Tale Heart” explain
the noise to the police?
He says he was the one who shrieked
because he was having a bad dream
What was going on in Spain
during the time in which the story
was set? Why is this important?
The Spanish Inquisition
-This was during a time where if you were accused of the crime of heresy
(going against established religion) then you were punished
by a torturous death.
What is the name of the first trap
Rainsford sets during the hunt?
Does it work?
-Malay man-catcher (wounds Zaroff’s shoulder)
(Second trap: Burmese tiger pit)
(Third trap: Uganda knife trap)
What is ironic about the end of the
story? What type of irony is this?
Borrowing the Necklace led her to her luxurious life
she always wanted, but it was also
what put her into a life of poverty.
Also, the necklace she borrowed turned out to be fake.
This is situational irony
This story is told in the first person.
What are some reasons that the
narrator is unreliable (not entirely
trustworthy)?
1.) The story is told in flashback (we don’t know exactly
how much time has passed from when this incident took place)
2.) The narrator is slipping in and out of
consciousness throughout his telling
of the tale
3.) The trauma of the event could have clouded the narrator’s memory of the incident
In “MDG” what are two suggestions that
Zaroff gives to Rainsford before the hunt
begins?
1. Wear moccasins (they leave a poorer trail)
2. Avoid Death Swamp
What is the cause of Madame
Loisel’s unhappiness?
She is jealous of the wealth of others because
she feels like she deserves a more beautiful life.
1. What does the narrator
do to determine the depth
of the pit?
2. Why didn't the narrator
jump into the pit?
1. Drops a stone in
2. Because he’s a coward
What does Zaroff have in his cellar?
His training school
(about a dozen pupils)
What evidence is there that
suggests that Mme. Loisel’s
husband truly cares about her
happiness?
1. He gets them invited to a fancy ball.
2. He gives her the money he was going to spend
on a hunting rifle to her so she can buy a dress
3. He gives up his life’s saving and works to
repay the necklace she lost
As the pendulum is getting closer and
closer to the narrator, what hope briefly
comes to his mind in the midst of this
hopeless situation?
The pendulum was designed to cross the region of his heart,
but he hopes that perhaps the pendulum will cut through the
leather straps before it is able to kill him.
What are some of the
advantages Zaroff has over
Rainsford during the hunt?
1.) He knows the island
2.) He gets a gun while Rainsford gets a knife
3.) He gets to go home at the end of every day to eat, sleep, and tend to
his wounds before the next day’s hunt
4.) He has the help of Ivan and his hounds
5.) He read Rainsford’s book on hunting so he is familiar with his strategies
Which of the following is the best example of situational
irony?
a. “If you still think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe
the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body.”
b. “ ‘Villains!’ I shrieked, ‘dissemble no more! I admit the deed! -- tear
up the planks! -- here, here! -- it is the beating of his hideous heart!’”
c. “In an instant I dragged him to the floor and pulled the heavy bed
over him. I then smiled gaily to find the deed so far done.”
d. “And now have I not told you that what you mistake for madness is but over acuteness of the senses?”
b.) “ ‘Villains!’ I shrieked, ‘dissemble no more! I admit the deed!
-- tear up the planks! -- here, here! -- it is the beating of his hideous heart!’”