Characters
Who is the narrator’s brilliant friend in the story?
Who is Auguste Dupin?
Where is the story set?
Paris, France
Define “ratiocination.”
The process of exact thinking or logical reasoning
What literary genre did Poe help create with this story?
Detective fiction.
What personal trait allows Dupin to solve the case?
His ability to think like the criminal.
Who are the two women who are murdered in the Rue Morgue?
Who are Madame L’Espanaye and Mademoiselle Camille L’Espanaye?
What unusual ability does Dupin display throughout the story?
Analytical reasoning and deductive skills.
What is an “orangutan”?
A large ape found in Borneo and Sumatra.
What theme does Dupin represent through his method of solving crimes?
Reason vs. chaos
How does Dupin differ from the police?
He uses logic and empathy instead of brute-force investigation.
What is unusual about the way the daughter’s body is found?
She is stuffed up the chimney
What item does Dupin use to track down the sailor?
The ribbon tied around the orangutan’s hair.
What does “enigmatic” mean?
Mysterious or difficult to understand.
What symbol does the orangutan represent?
Uncontrolled violence and the unpredictability of nature.
What literary figure did Dupin inspire?
Sherlock Holmes
What role does the sailor play in the mystery?
He is the owner of the orangutan that committed the murders.
How does Dupin gain access to the crime scene
He befriends the police and offers his help as an amateur detective.
What is a “premises” in logic?
A previous statement from which a conclusion is drawn.
What social theme does the story subtly critique through the police’s failure?
The limitations of institutional authority.
What does Dupin say about reading others’ thoughts?
He believes it’s a matter of observing patterns and behavior.
What is the nationality of the voices heard by witnesses?
One is French; the other is unidentifiable, which adds to the mystery.
What ultimately causes the deaths of the two women?
A violent orangutan brought from Borneo.
What does “peculiar” mean in the context of the crime scene?
Strange or unusual, often in a disturbing way.
What does the locked-room mystery symbolize?
The complexity of truth and how appearances can deceive.
What is Dupin’s motive for solving crimes?
Intellectual challenge rather than personal gain.