Basic Questions:

Describe the way Carter presents the ruby choker on page 6. Write a paragraph to practice word level analysis, ensuring you can examine a word or phrase in graphic detail. 

Carter describes the choker as being like an "extraordinary precious slit throat", this signifies that the narrator who is telling us this will be hurt in some way or at least threatened with something as graphic as a slit throat. This also foreshadows later events because the Marquis planned to kill the narrator by beheading her. The phrase that Carter decided to use shows that she believes this to be a 'precious' thing and believing that 'slit throat' is something to be admired shows that the narrator is incredibly naive to the situation she has found herself in. 

On page 7, the narrator describes herself as an ‘exile’ once married. What does this suggest? 

It shows that she believes that marriage signifies commitment and hiding away. She should no longer be finding herself a marriage because she has just got one. It shows that she believes that once you are married then you have to become the perfect wife and stay at home to bear children and look after the home environment.

On page 16, what seems to give the girl confidence and power once more? 

The girl gains more confidence when she realises that the Marquis is captivated by her innocence and naivety. She gains the courage that she didn't really feel before because of her unknowingness. She gains pleasure from the fact that the Marquis wants to show her how to live instead.

On page 33, how is the usual ‘hero’ structure altered? 

In a sense, the usual hero structure is put down as a male quality. Whereas in this case, we can see that the narrator gains even more power when she tells Jean-Yves to leave her and to "go back to your room," you could say that this shows the hero structure was altered because she is telling the man what to do. Highlighting the switch in gender qualities.