Study guide for first test. You may work with a partner or a small group to complete this guide. You must show me your guide to get credit. It is worth 50 points.
The Minister’s Black Veil
- In the first paragraph, describe the attitude of the townspeople as they go to church. What does this tell us about their true spiritual priorities?
- Describe the initial reaction to Mr. Hooper’s veil.
- What was the subject of Mr. Hooper’s sermon that day? How did the veil affect his topic?
- What were the two ceremonies that Mr. Hooper directed that same day? How did the veil affect the mood of each?
- Summarize the scene between Mr. Hooper and Elizabeth. How would you describe how both feel at their parting? (Note: She is called his “plighted wife,” which means “intended wife,” or fiancée.)
- What does Mr. Hooper mean when he says, “There is an hour to come when all of us shall cast aside our veils”?
- As the years passed, what were some of the negative affects of the veil of Mr. Hooper? What were some of the positive?
- Mr. Hooper is described as “a man apart from men” and that the veil had “kept him in that saddest of all prisons, his own heart”; explain.
- Why is Elizabeth described as a “faithful woman” in the final scene?
- Go through the story and count all the references to Mr. Hooper’s “smile.” How is his “smile” often described? Why does Hawthorne focus on this detail so much?
- Besides the veil on Mr. Hooper’s face, what other references to other types of veils are mentioned in the story? What does each mean? (Questions six is one example.)
- What is the attitude of the other minister’s toward Mr. Hooper on his death bed? What does this tell us about them?
- According to Mr. Hooper, why has he been wearing his black veil?
14. Why is the story called “a parable”?
Fall of the House of Usher
1. Who is the narrator of the story and why is he visiting the House of Usher?
2. List some of the adjectives used to create this vivid image of the house.
3. What factors and conversations contribute to a sense of foreshadowing about the outcome of the story?
4. Describe the condition in which the narrator finds his friend Roderick Usher.
5. What does Dr. Cordwell say is the problem with Roderick?
6. Describe Madeline Usher and what Dr. Cordwell says about her condition.
7. What does Roderick believe is the source of his problems?
8. Why won’t Roderick leave the house when it seems to be having such a devastating effect upon him?
9. What ominous information does the housekeeper Mrs. Finley share with Jonathan about Madeline’s health and the effect her death might have on Roderick?
10. Describe what happened on the final night of the narrator’s stay at the House of Usher.
11. Describe the symbolism of the following:
a. The crumbling mortar:
b. The vacant, eyelike windows of the house:
c. The inverted reflection of the house in the dying pond:
The Devil and Tom Walker
1. Describe the setting of the swamp at the beginning of the story; who is alluded to; how
might this relate to the story?
2. Describe the relationship between Tom and his wife—be as specific as possible.
3. Who does Tom meet; describe him; where does he meet him?
4. What is the Devil doing when Tom meets him?
5. What does the Devil offer Tom?
6. What happens between Tom and his wife; what does she do later; what is humorous/ironic
about these things?
7. In what profession does the Devil set up Tom?
8. What profession did Tom refuse to do? What does this show about him?
9. How does the story end?
10. What might be the moral lesson to be learned from this story?
Elements
Define the literary terms:
Mood
Tone
What are some elements common in gothic literature?
There will be 2 essay choices that will deal with these terms. You will choose one. Essays are worth 25 points on a test. J