The Red Room Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. How would you explain what happens to the narrator in the red room? Do you think a ghost is responsible? If so, why? If not, what is it?
  2. Do you think it makes sense to say the red room is haunted? (This may depend on your answer to the first question.) Do you buy the idea that it can still be haunted even if there’s no ghost?
  3. Is the narrator’s descent into panic believable?
  4. Can you imagine the narrator as a woman? How might she be different than our male narrator?
  5. Is "The Red Room" best described as a horror story? Why or why not?
  6. Do you think "The Red Room" is ever comical? What parts are humorous? Do you think it’s intentional? Could the whole story even be funny?
  7. Does "The Red Room" create suspense? If so, how? Is it actually scary? What do you think?