Reading Quiz A Rose for Emily and Hills Like White Elephants

Reading Quiz: “A Rose for Emily” and “Hills Like White Elephants” 1. The Point of View in the story “A Rose for Emily” is a. 3rd person omniscient b. 1st person singular c. 1st person plural d. Stream of consciousness 2. How many years was Homer in the upstairs (attic) bedroom? a. 10 b. 20 c. 30 d. 40 3. The old white house that is shuttered, dusty, and dark can best be compared to a. Lost time b. Emily’s mind c. Emily’s father d. Homer 4. How old was Emily when she died? a. 33 b. 74 c. 40ish d. 56 5. In what state is the story “A Rose for Emily”set? a. Mississippi b. Alabama c. Texas d. Georgia 6. In what year was Emily born? a. 1892 b. 1884 c. 1882 d. 1852 7. How long did Emily hold on to her father’s body after he died? a. 2 days b. 1 week c. 3 days d. 2 weeks “A Rose for Emily” Short Constructed Response: 2-3 sentences. Just type the number and your response. 8. Explain why Emily is referred to as a fallen monument. What does this mean? Emily's death could be seen as the fall of a monument given she was a "monument" of the Old South (I.e. she stuck to tradition, and refused to adapt to the new ways (e.g. refused to install mail numbers, refused to accept new aldermen's edicts, kept an African American servant, etc.)). When she died, soldiers in Confederate uniform arrived and talked about her as if she was a "contemporary," just as they would a monument that had represented what they fought for (the Old South). 9. What does the “rose” in the title symbolize in relation to Emily? Why? Roses typically represent a sign of one lover's love to another. In relation to Emily, she never received a rose in the story, just as she never received any lovers for most of her life. When she found a lover in Homer, however, she murdered him, so she could preserve the idea of his love forever, just as this short story forever eternalizes Emily's life. 10. What does the invisible watch that is “vanishing into her waist” symbolize? The invisible watch represents the watch of death. Slowly, the watch is ticking as Miss Emily gets closer and closer to her death. "Vanishing into her waist," symbolizes how, the closer she reaches death, the more visible it shows on her (as she becomes visibly larger as she ages). 11. What is a “cabal” and why is one necessary in this particular setting? A cabal is a small clique of people united behind a shared view. In their view, a cabal was necessary so that everybody in town would be united to do everything in their power to rid the cousins and ensure Miss Emily can get married. 12. **Explain the meaning behind Homer Baron’s name, and give at least two pieces of textual evidence to back up your response. “Hills Like White Elephants” Short Constructed Response: 2-3 sentences. Just type the number and your response. 13. Explain the meaning of the euphemism in the title and how it relates to the conflict. "Hills Like White Elephants" is representative of a pregnant woman's stomach. The conflict between the couple revolves around the woman's pregnancy and talks of an abortion. 14. **What is the actual conflict, and explain what specific evidence proves what the conflict is in the story? The actual conflict is an argument over whether the woman should get an abortion. Over and over again, the man tells her will be "just like we were before," implying that after the abortion, everything will return to normal, as it was before the woman got pregnant. 15. Describe the dialogue in the story; explain the function of dialogue in the story; what does Hemingway reveal through his particular use of dialogue? The dialogue is extremely indirect, never actually calling out the operation by name and often skirting around the subject with metaphors that better reflect how either of them feel. Through his particular use of dialogue, Hemingway is showing the reader the frustration the couple feel over the subject, the lady visibly uncomfortable about the subject (wanting to end the conversation almost immediately) and the man never wanting to drop the subject (even after being told to stop talking). 16. **Explain the significance of the setting in “Hills Like White Elephants.” How does the setting highlight the conflict? The story is set at a bar in a train station/stop. Bars are often where people go to relax, not stress about their lives, and talk to others without care. As it applies to the story, the bar could be a place where the two were supposed to come together and relax, maybe come to terms about the abortion. In contrast (almost ironically), the couple do anything but relax. By the first few lines of dialogue, they are both already uncomfortable with each other, more disturbed by the subject at hand. The train station... 17. Explain the significance of the references to alcohol in the story. Alcohol acts as the icebreaker for the couple, something to ease their way into their conversation/argument. At first, the lady (and the man to an extent) feels uncomfortable to jump into a conversation about the abortion. After they are given beers, however, they immediately jump into their argument about the abortion. Furthermore, absinthe, an alcohol mentioned by name in the story, is typically a very bitter alcohol (trust me, NOT from personal experience), just as the conversation between the couple and the feelings they share have become especially bitter. 18. What will happen next to/for the American? What textual evidence proves you are correct? The American will be under the illusion the woman loves her as their relationship continues. Although he thinks she will continue to love him and their relationship, we know as the reader, that this is only a disguise/mask the woman is putting up. It is especially easy to say one is "fine," just as the lady does at the end of the story, just to get on with life. The lady agrees to disagree, because she knows they are beating a dead horse, and, given her gender and role in society, probably cannot convince her husband otherwise. Constructed Response: 1 paragraph each. Just type the number and your response. 19. Explain the theme of “decay” in “A Rose for Emily,” giving at least three different types of decay and explain the textual evidence to support your response. There are three obvious types of decay in "A Rose for Emily:" physical, mental, and emotional. As the story progresses, both Emily and the house she lives in physically decay. As Emily ages, her hair decays (getting visibly grayer, to the point of an active man), and her physique decays as well (Faulkner making the point that she gets visibly larger). And as she cannot tend to the house, to keep it pristine, it takes a toll as well. The house/property becomes smelly at a point, and there is a large emphasis on the dust that covers it. Mentally, Emily decays as she does more and more extreme acts that only a madman/woman would do. She becomes more and more reclusive, refusing to accept change or go out to interact with other people, and she eventually murders a man, as a result of her mental instability. Emotionally, given she was not able to have a lover for most of her life, she was already near-decayed by the time Homer showed up. And when Homer showed up, she was not emotionally strong enough to accept that he was not a marrying man and that there was a possibility that he would not love her again, leading to his murder. 20. When Jig repeats, “Would you please stop talking,” what does the repetition reveal? How does this relate back to the conflict? setting? narration? Theme? That repetition reveals she is mentally frustrated, almost uncomfortable as to the topic of conversation. All she wants is for it to end. This relates to the conflict as the couple have probably talked about the topic of abortion many, many times before, and she no longer wants to talk about it for another time. As it relates to the setting, more sp