AP Success - AP English Literature: There Was Once...
This is a short story that features mostly dialogue; it was published by Margaret Atwood in 1992.
There was once a poor girl, as beautiful as she was good, who lived with her wicked stepmother in a house in the forest.
-- Forest? Forest is passé, I mean, I've had it with all this wilderness stuff. It's not a right image of our society, today. Let's have some urban for a change.
-- There was once a poor girl, as beautiful as she was good, who lived with her wicked stepmother in a house in the suburbs.
-- That's better. But I have to seriously query this word poor.
-- But she was poor!
-- Poor is relative. She lived in a house, didn't she?
-- Yes.
-- Then socio-economically speaking, she was not poor.
-- But none of the money was hers! The whole point of the story is that the wicked stepmother makes her wear old clothes and sleep in the fireplace –
-- Aha! They had a fireplace! With poor, let me tell you, there's no fireplace. Come down to the park, come down to the subway stations after dark, come down to where they sleep in cardboard boxes, and I'll show you poor!
-- There was once a middle-class girl, as beautiful as she was good –
-- Stop right there. I think we can cut the beautiful, don't you? Women these days have to deal with too many intimidating role models as it is, with what those bimbos in the ads. Can't you make her, well, more average?
-- There was once a girl who was a little overweight and whose front teeth stuck out, who –
-- I don't think it's nice to make fun of people's appearances. Plus, you're encouraging anorexia.
Question 1
In lines 5-7, the narrator's rejection of the forest setting in favor of an "urban" one serves primarily to:
underscore the modern setting of the narrative.
highlight the timeless nature of the story's theme.
introduce a satirical tone to the passage.
emphasize the universality of the girl's experience.
criticize the conventional settings in fairy tales.
Question 2
The discussion about the girl's economic status in lines 13-22 primarily serves to:
challenge societal perceptions of poverty.
illustrate the stepmother's control over the girl.
provide background information on the girl's family.
establish the girl's resilience in facing hardships.
debate the relevance of economic status in the narrative.
Question 3
The term "middle-class" in line 33 is used to:
illustrate a shift in the narrative's focus.
demonstrate the characters' social mobility.
question the original portrayal of the girl's status.
emphasize the relatability of the girl's situation.
contrast with the girl's previous described poverty.
Question 4
The insistence on removing "beautiful" in line 36 suggests the narrator aims to:
challenge traditional beauty standards.
create a more relatable protagonist.
address societal pressures on women.
focus on the girl's character rather than appearance.
critique the superficiality of physical descriptions.
Question 5
In lines 41-42, the revised description of the girl serves to:
introduce humor into the narrative.
critique the societal emphasis on appearance.
highlight the subjectivity of beauty standards.
undermine the girl's confidence and self-worth.
emphasize the narrative's shift towards realism.
Question 6
The narrative's evolving description of the girl's living situation from lines 1 to 33 primarily reflects:
a deepening understanding of her character.
a critique of traditional fairy tale elements.
a shift towards a more modern and realistic setting.
the narrator's uncertainty about the story's direction.
a debate over the relevance of socioeconomic status.
Question 7
The phrase "socio-economically speaking" in line 22 is used to:
introduce a technical analysis of the girl's situation.
contrast with the more emotional description that follows.
provide a logical justification for reclassifying the girl's status.
challenge the initial portrayal of the girl as poor.
highlight the narrator's detached perspective.
Question 8
The exchange between the narrators in lines 16-31 primarily serves to:
explore different perspectives on poverty.
highlight the subjective nature of storytelling.
debate the relevance of economic status in character development.
illustrate a conflict between traditional and modern values.
introduce a comedic element through their disagreement.
Question 9
The repeated revision of the girl's description throughout the passage primarily illustrates:
the narrator's indecision.
a critique of storytelling clichés.
the fluidity of identity and classification.
a shift in narrative focus from external to internal qualities.
the impact of societal norms on character portrayal.
Question 10
The overall tone of the passage is best described as:
didactic, aiming to instruct the reader on societal issues.
satirical, critiquing conventional storytelling and societal norms.
nostalgic, longing for traditional fairy tale elements.
earnest, sincerely exploring the girl's character and circumstances.
indifferent, showing a lack of concern for the story's coherence.
Teach with AI superpowers
Why teachers love Class Companion
Import assignments to get started in no time.
Create your own rubric to customize the AI feedback to your liking.
Overrule the AI feedback if a student disputes.