The Masque of the Red Death Quiz

The Masque of the Red Death Quiz 1. The events of this story are related to… A. a popular ballroom dance B. a spreading, infectious disease C. a nickname for Prince Prospero D. costumes for masquerade balls 2. What is unusual about where the masquerade takes place? A. There is a ballroom as large as the entire imperial suite in Prince Prospero’s palace. B. Musicians play in a curved hall while quests dance in colored chambers. C. It begins at sundown and does not end until an ebony clock strikes. D. There are colored rooms that are not connected to each other or situated along a straight hall. 3. “Gaudy and fantastic appearances” are created at the masquerade ball by… A. the prince who wears a frightening costume and dances in several rooms B. a man in a red mask who enters the various rooms and does a bizarre dance C. flames that shine through red glass windows in each of many rooms along a hallway D. the guests who take turns putting on a red mask, which makes them act in strange ways. 4. Few people dare to enter the black apartment because… A. faces look frightening there, and an ebony clock makes a strange sound. B. without light, no one can see or dance without causing injury to others. C. it is the room where Prince Prospero wears the masque of the Red Death. D. in this room a strange voice can be heard whose origins no one can trace. 5. Prince Prospero is a person who basically desires… A. good company and entertainment B. to face pain and suffering with courage C. to be surrounded by people in simple clothes D. others to share their feelings with him 6. When Prince Prospero confronts the strangely masked guest, the prince… A. challenges the guest to a duel and then draws his sword in order to fight B. demands that the masked guest leave since he or she was not invited C. draws a dagger, then chases the masked guest by going from room to room D. asks for the mask and costume so that he can wear them 7. An allegory is a narrative story… A. with an unexpected turning point and climax in its plot B. told by a narrator who knows more about events than other characters C. that uses imaginary characters to tell about a historical event D. in which characters and settings stand for abstract ideas or moral qualities 8. In “The Masque of the Red Death,” the red mask probably stands for… A. the bubonic plague that had been killing much of the population of 14th century Europe B. the desire that all people had to become a prince or princess C. Prince Prospero’s wish to be anything but ordinary D. the people in 14th century Europe who survived the bubonic plague 9. In “The Masque of the Red Death,” Prince Prospero stands for… A. a terrible, deadly disease that had been spreading through Europe B. a future people who learned how to fight infectious diseases successfully C. anyone who believed they could fool death by their cleverness D. weak people who were easily infected by and died from bubonic plague 10. Which statement expresses the theme of this allegory? A. Money can buy you happiness. B. Laugh and the world laughs with you. C. Live life to the fullest. D. Death can master life. The Masque of the Red Death Answer Key 1. The events of this story are related to… A. a popular ballroom dance B. a spreading, infectious disease C. a nickname for Prince Prospero D. costumes for masquerade balls 2. What is unusual about where the masquerade takes place? A. There is a ballroom as large as the entire imperial suite in Prince Prospero’s palace. B. Musicians play in a curved hall while quests dance in colored chambers. C. It begins at sundown and does not end until an ebony clock strikes. D. There are colored rooms that are not connected to each other or situated along a straight hall. 3. “Gaudy and fantastic appearances” are created at the masquerade ball by… A. the prince who wears a frightening costume and dances in several rooms B. a man in a red mask who enters the various rooms and does a bizarre dance C. flames that shine through red glass windows in each of many rooms along a hallway D. the guests who take turns putting on a red mask, which makes them act in strange ways. 4. Few people dare to enter the black apartment because… A. faces look frightening there, and an ebony clock makes a strange sound. B. without light, no one can see or dance without causing injury to others. C. it is the room where Prince Prospero wears the masque of the Red Death. D. in this room a strange voice can be heard whose origins no one can trace. 5. Prince Prospero is a person who basically desires… A. good company and entertainment B. to face pain and suffering with courage C. to be surrounded by people in simple clothes D. others to share their feelings with him 6. When Prince Prospero confronts the strangely masked guest, the prince… A. challenges the guest to a duel and then draws his sword in order to fight B. demands that the masked guest leave since he or she was not invited C. draws a dagger, then chases the masked guest by going from room to room D. asks for the mask and costume so that he can wear them 7. An allegory is a narrative story… A. with an unexpected turning point and climax in its plot B. told by a narrator who knows more about events than other characters C. that uses imaginary characters to tell about a historical event D. in which characters and settings stand for abstract ideas or moral qualities 8. In “The Masque of the Red Death,” the red mask probably stands for… A. the bubonic plague that had been killing much of the population of 14th century Europe B. the desire that all people had to become a prince or princess C. Prince Prospero’s wish to be anything but ordinary D. the people in 14th century Europe who survived the bubonic plague 9. In “The Masque of the Red Death,” Prince Prospero stands for… A. a terrible, deadly disease that had been spreading through Europe B. a future people who learned how to fight infectious diseases successfully C. anyone who believed they could fool death by their cleverness D. weak people who were easily infected by and died from bubonic plague 10. Which statement expresses the theme of this allegory? A. Money can buy you happiness. B. Laugh and the world laughs with you. C. Live life to the fullest. D. Death can master life. Masque of the Red Death Group Activity In groups, answer the following questions on a separate sheet of paper from the viewpoint of your assigned character. Then, present your answers to the class. 1. How would you describe yourself? (Bloom’s: Knowledge) 2. What is happening around you, and how is it affecting you? (Bloom’s: Comprehension) 3. If you could pick another character to interview, who would it be and what is one question you would ask them? (Bloom’s: Application) 4. How is your character a part of the allegorical context of the story? (Bloom’s: Analysis) 5. Elaborate on how your character feels about their position in the story. (Bloom’s: Synthesis) 6. What is your opinion of the other characters? (Bloom’s: Evaluation) ~Prince Prospero ~The Partyers ~The Red Death ~The peasants that are locked out Allegory Chart An allegory is a narrative that is really a double story. One story takes place on the surface. Under the surface the story’s characters and evens represent abstract ideas or states of being. Symbol Meaning Prince Prospero The Clock The Red Death The Seven Rooms Lesson to be learned from the story Allegory Chart: Possible Answers Symbol Meaning   Financial prosperity Wealth at the time lay in the hands of the elite and left the peasantry to suffer.    Death’s final judgment Regular (hourly) reminder of their lives ticking away. Cannot stop or slow down time Time “flies” Last chime = death     Death Equality: It attacks the poor and rich alike. Death comes to everyone. Possibly the bubonic plague   Represent the stages of life Running from east to west. Sunrise to sunset, representing the lifecycle of a day.) Human journey from life to death. 1st room: Blue = birth 2nd room: Purple = growth. A mixture of blue (birth) and red (life) 3rd room: Green = youth, in the spring of life. 4th room: Orange = Summer and autumn of life. 5th room: White = Age. Growing older. 6th room: Violet = Shadowy color representative of darkness and coming death. 7th room: Black = “ominous endpoint” and the red window is associated with blood, fear, and death. The revelers do not go into the Black room because they fear death. This is the order in which the Red Death walks, and also the order in which Prince Prospers chases the Red Death. He dies in the Black room. Prince Prospero The clock The Red Death The Seven Rooms              Lesson to be learned from the story An allegory about life and death and the powerlessness of humans to evade the grip of death.