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The Pit and the Pendulum Quiz
Test your knowledge of The Black Cat. Submit your answers to see your results and get feedback.
What is the primary reason the narrator of "The Black Cat" gives for sharing his story?
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He believes people will find his story entertaining
He is about to die and wants to recount the events
He wants to prove that he is intelligent
He wants to educate people about the importance of logic
What was notable about the narrator's early life?
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He had a difficult childhood and disliked animals
He made an early habit of murdering animals
He was an only child and felt very lonely
He loved animals and had many pets
What effect does the wife's superstitions about black cats have on the story?
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It makes her seem foolish
It confirms that black cats are evil
It increases the story's foreboding quality
It emphasizes the intelligence of black cats
What does the narrator do to Pluto in a fit of drunken rage?
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He hugs the cat too tightly
He gouges out one of the cat's eyes
He screams at the cat
He talks to the cat as if it's his dead mother
What is unique about the way the narrator thinks about his own misdeeds?
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He recognizes his misdeeds but feels no remorse for his actions
He believes his misdeeds are so egregious that he doesn't deserve to live
He thinks of his misdeeds as too small to make him a bad person
He believes his misdeeds are wrong but also part of the human condition
In "The Black Cat," how does Poe use the fire and the subsequent discovery of the cat’s shape to explore the narrator's mental state?
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By suggesting that the narrator's guilty conscience manifests in physical forms
By emphasizing the narrator's ability to communicate with fire spirits
By demonstrating the narrator's ability to predict future events
By showing that animals really do have magical powers
After seeing the cat's shape on the wall, what does the narrator feel an urge to do?
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Destroy the wall
Find a replacement animal
Confess his sins to the authorities
Rebuild the house
What is significant about where the narrator finds the new cat?
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The setting reinforces the narrator's optimistic state of mind
The setting suggests that the narrator isn't taking things seriously
The setting indicates that the narrator is seeking companionship
The setting suggests that the narrator is perhaps unreliable
Why does the narrator restrain himself from harming the new cat despite loathing it?
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He fears the cat might attack him
His wife loves the cat
The traumatic memory of Pluto
He believes the cat brings good luck
What does the narrator's comparison of himself to a god reveal about him?
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It illustrates his delusions of grandeur
It shows his deep religious beliefs
It reflects his desire for redemption and forgiveness
It indicates his acceptance of fate and destiny
What does the narrator do after killing his wife?
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He immediately confesses to the authorities
He hides her body in the wall of the cellar
He flees the scene and abandons the new cat
He hides her body under the floorboards
How does the narrator react to the new cat's absence after hiding his wife's body in the wall?
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He becomes anxious and searches for the cat
He regrets his actions and wishes the cat would return
He feels an extreme sense of relief
He believes the cat has gone to get help
What does the cat symbolize in the climax of the story?
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The narrator's tortured conscience
The triumph of justice over evil
The narrator's longing for companionship
None of the above
