After Twenty Years
What is the setting of “After Twenty Years”?
New York in the recent past
Define the term 'DAINTY' and use it in a sentence.
(adj). small and attractive in a delicate way
Define the term 'VICINITY' and use it in a sentence.
(n). the area immediately surrounding something or someone
Define the term 'CROSSLY' and use it in a sentence.
(adv). in an annoyed or angry way
Define the term 'HEDGE' and use it in a sentence.
(n). a line of bushes or small trees planted very close together
Why does Bob get arrested?
He is a well-known criminal in Chicago.
What does Mme. Forestier lend Mathilde?
a necklace
Mathilde can be best described as often being…
emotional
Why does Watson bring Holmes away from the city in “The Dead Coachman”?
so that he can get some rest
What excites Holmes during his stay at the Colonel’s?
solving a mystery
Why have Jimmy and Bob stop writing to each other?
Bob moving around so much in the West
In “The Necklace,” why does Mathilde seem unhappy about the ball invitation at first?
She doesn’t have the right outfit.
Why doesn’t Mathilde admit that she has lost the necklace in the first place?
She is afraid of what her friend would think.
What is the result of Holmes looking around the Cunninghams’ house?
He confirms that the Cunninghams are guilty.
Why does Holmes pretend to faint?
to buy himself more time to think about his next move
What is the climax of “After Twenty Years”?
The climax of the story is when Bob realizes that the new arrival is not actually Jimmy. This is where the story becomes the most exciting because up to this point, both the reader and the character Bob is led to believe that Jimmy has finally arrived.
Why doesn’t Mme. Forestier recognize Mathilde?
Mathilde looks too different from before.
What is the significance of the necklace being an imitation?
It symbolizes Mathilde’s pretense to appear wealthy at the ball.
What is the narrative voice of “The Dead Coachman”?
first person
Why does the colonel say, “But Mr. Holmes, this little country crime won’t be interesting for you after your great European case”?
The colonel thinks that the crim in his town might seem too petty and small compared to the crime Holmes had just dealt with prior to the story. The fact that he knows about it shows how important and grand the case had been.
Which literary term does the following quote represent?
As the policeman walked up to him the man spoke up quickly. “It’s all right, officer,” he said, reassuringly.
Foreshadowing
Explain in detail how Mathilde develops as a character throughout the story.
At first Mathilde is an immature and an emotional character who cares mostly about appearances (ex. dress, jewelry, etc.). By the end of the story, her superficial nature is submerged as she now has to work hard to pay for the necklace. Mathilde develops into a responsible and a hard-working character.
“…she imagined delicious dishes served on marvelous plates and the conversations which you listen to with a sphinxlike smile…”
How is the word “sphinxlike” being used above?
The word “sphinxlike” is being used to illustrate the mysterious smile or the impenetrable expression that Mathilde imagines having during fancy gatherings.
Why would the author choose to have the inspector explain the murder to Holmes instead of having Holmes learn all the information firsthand from the Cunninghams?
The author chooses to have the inspector explain the murder to Holmes to give the inspector a bigger role in the story. Perhaps the author wanted to show Holmes working side by side with another authority in charge.
Identify the incidents that make up the falling action of the story?
Holmes explains how he has solved the mystery to the other characters. He follows his train of thought by explaining who must have taken the note, who has worked on the note, who has killed William and for what reason, and finally why he has acted the way he has at the Cunninghams’.