GUIDE QUESTIONS – THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO

1.) What do you think Montresor’s motivation is for killing Fortunato? What do you think
Montresor means in the 1st paragraph of the story by “the thousand injuries” and
“insult”?

2.) How does Poe motivate the behavior of Montresor? Does the story provide any
hints as to the “thousand injuries” he has suffered? Are any hints necessary?

3.) Who do you suppose the “You” is in the 1st paragraph of the story?

4.) Why do you suppose Poe sets this story during “the carnival season”?

5.) Why is the setting of the story appropriate?

6.) What does Montresor’s treatment of his house servants tell us about his knowledge
of human psychology, and how does it prepare us for his treatment of Fortunato?

7.) Examine Montresor’s verbal and non-verbal strategies of initially engaging Fortunato
and then luring him along throughout the story.

8.) What do you suppose Montresor means when he says, “You are rich, respected,
admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me
it is no matter”?

9.) Discuss Montresor’s family’s coat-of-arms and motto.

10.) Discuss the references to “the brotherhood” and “the masons.”

11.) Discuss the section when Montresor is erecting the wall to entomb Fortunato,
especially both Fortunato’s and Montresor’s sounds, words, and movements.

12.) How does Poe increase the elements of suspense as Fortunato is gradually walled
into the catacombs?

13.) Examine the very last paragraph of the story – especially (1) the phrase, “My heart
grew sick …” and (2) the very last sentence.

14.) Do you see any irony in the story?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – THE MATS

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – THE NECKLACE

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – GOD SEES THE TRUTH BUT WAITS

1. Why is the story called “God Sees the Truth But Waits?”
2. What is the exposition of the story? Discuss the setting, characters, and basic situation of
the story.
3. How are the events that ruin Ivan Askyonof’s life foreshadowed early in the story?
4. Why would Ivan have no concerns about sharing an inn room with adjoining rooms with
the other merchant?
5. After Ivan leaves the inn, how does his behavior reveal that he’s an honest man?
6. After Ivan leaves the inn, how does his behavior reveal that he’s a guilty man?
7. Once Ivan is imprisoned, Ënquiries as top his character were made in Vladimir”. Explain
if the information the authorities learned was helpful or hurtful to Ivan’s plight.
8. How important is it to have a strong character.
9. "So you, too, suspect me!" said Aksionov, and, hiding his face in his hands, he began to
weep. Then a soldier came to say that the wife and children must go away; and Aksionov
said good-bye to his family for the last time.”Which would be more difficult to deal with:
a literal death where a loved one dies suddenly or this type of death where a loved one is
sent away for life?
10. Even though the story doesn”t explain what happened, what do you think the wife would
do if she learned that her husband was innocent and that he would spend the rest of his
life in prison for a crime he didn’t commit?
11. “It seems that only God can know the truth, it is to Him alone we must appeal and from
Him alone expect mercy.” Can you explain how Ivan finds comfort in this?
12. “For twenty-six years, Aksyonof lived as a convict in Siberia. His hair turned white as
snow and his beard grew long, thin and gray. All his mirth went; he stooped; he