Misery

Multiple Choice

1. B (Various chapters)

2. C (Various chapters)

3. A (Various chapters)

4. C (Various chapters)

5. C (Various chapters)

6. A (Various chapters)

7. B (Part 2, Chapter 3)

8. D (Various chapters)

9. B (Part 2, Chapter 15)

10. A (Part 3, Chapter 5)

11. C (Various chapters)

12. D (Various chapters)

13. D (Part 3, Chapter 46)

14. C (Various chapters)

15. A (Various chapters)

Long Answer

1. Paul uses his memory of his mother at the zoo to describe his confinement by drawing parallels to himself and the caged bird that belonged in Africa. Africa is mentioned again and again in the novel as a symbol of freedom from captivity. Annie uses the rat she trapped in the basement to symbolize Paul, indicating that he and the rat probably feel the same. The Misery series symbolically parallels Paul’s experiences in Annie’s house: At the beginning of Paul’s novel, Misery is trapped in a grave and tries to escape being buried alive. (Various chapters)

2. There are clues at the beginning of the novel that point to Paul’s alcohol abuse. He does not remember at first that his heavy drinking caused his car accident. Annie later gives him Novril to help him overcome his injuries, but Paul soon realizes he is addicted.