Poe's Short Stories Quizzes

1. In "The Pit and the Pendulum," the narrator is eventually saved when:

• he escapes the dungeon by crawling through the rats' well.
• he has the rats chew away his bonds so that he can escape.
• he throws himself into the pit, causing his captors to free him.
• the French army arrives and defeats the forces of the Inquisition.

2. Why is the narrator tried and found guilty by the Inquisition in "The Pit and the Pendulum"?

• He had murdered a priest.
• He is a Muslim and thus a heretic.
• He was a political prisoner.
• The narrator does not provide the answer.

3. Which of these is not part of the ordeal in "The Pit and the Pendulum"?

• Walls close in on the narrator, forcing him into the pit.
• Hungry rats eat the narrator's food.
• The narrator is refused bread and water.
• Water is taken away from the narrator and the food is made particularly pungent.

4. What is at the bottom of the pit in "The Pit and the Pendulum"?

• Spikes
• Fire
• Rats
• Water

5. At what is the pendulum aimed in "The Pit and the Pendulum"?

• His neck
• His eyes
• His stomach
• His heart

6. Who has imprisoned the narrator in "The Pit and the Pendulum"?

• The Toledo police
• The French army
• The Spanish army
• The Inquisition

7. How big does the narrator estimate his cell to be at the beginning of "The Pit and the Pendulum"?

• 50 yards
• 25 yards
• 50 feet
• 100 feet

8. In "The Masque of the Red Death," in how many rooms does the masque take place?

• Six
• Seven
• Thirteen
• Ten

9. What is the color of the room in which the Red Death appears in "The Masque of the Red Death"?

• Blue
• Grey
• Deep purple
• Black

10. What is the name of the prince in "The Masque of the Red Death"?

• Montresor
• Lasalle
• Dupin
• Prospero