Misery

Reading Check and Short Answer questions on key plot points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

Part 1, Chapters 1-36

Reading Check

1. How does Paul come to be in the company of Annie Wilkes?

2.  What pill does Annie give Paul?

3. Why does Annie force Paul to swallow his pills with soapy water?

4. Why does Annie become violent with Paul after reading his new Misery book?

5. What two presents does Annie give to Paul?

6. What does Annie tell Paul she expects him to do with the gifts?

7. How does Paul convince Annie to leave the house?

8. What clues does Paul leave that could reveal he left his room while Annie was away?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why does Annie give Paul pills?

2. Why does Paul begin flattering Annie?

Paired Resource

“Codeine”

• This article describes codeine (the main ingredient in the fictional medication Novril), its typical uses, and the dangers of taking it for extended periods of time.

What is codeine? What is it often used for? Why might codeine become dangerous? How are the side effects of codeine connected to the novel’s themes of Drug Addiction and Captivity?

Part 2, Chapters 1-23

Reading Check

1. Who is Misery’s Return dedicated to?

2. How does Paul convince Annie to leave the house a second time?

3. Why does Annie have red marks on her cheeks and arms?

4. How does Paul convince Annie not to shoot them both?

5. What does Paul decide he must do after reading Annie’s scrapbook?

6. What does Paul hide under his bed?

7. How does Annie know Paul snooped through her scrapbook?

8. How does Paul lose his foot?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is the problem with the first draft of Misery’s Return, and how does Paul resolve it?

2. What does Paul find in Annie’s scrapbook? What does he suspect it means?

Paired Resource

Angels of Death

• This article describes serial killers known as “angels of death” and “angels of mercy” and their motivations for committing their crimes.
• What is an “angel of death” serial killer? What is an “angel of mercy” serial killer? Which type is Annie Wilkes? How is this article related to the novel’s theme of Confinement and Captivity?

Part 3, Chapters 1-48

Reading Check

1. What does Paul tell Annie when she asks for the ending of Misery’s Return?

2. What does Paul scream to the police officer that arrives after his thumb is cut off?

3. How does Annie get rid of the police officer?

4. Where does Annie put Paul after she gets rid of the police officer?

5. Why does Annie decide not to kill Paul in the basement?

6. Why does Paul decide not to call out when the two officers first arrive at Annie’s house?

7. What happens to Annie after Paul finishes his manuscript?

8. How does Paul escape Annie’s house?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. Why do you think Paul’s novel’s protagonist is named Misery, and how is the name used in the novel?

2. What events ultimately add up to what Paul decides to do to Annie?

Paired Resource

“Stephen King Talks About Obsessed Fans”

• This 6-minute radio interview with Stephen King from 1998 describes his encounters with fans that he believes may have influenced his writing of Misery.
• Content Warning: You may want to stop the interview at the 2-minute mark, before the interviewer switches to mature topics. Also, King refers to the “mental instability” of a fan within the first 2 minutes.
• What are some of Stephen King’s experiences with fans that caught your attention? How might this have influenced his writing of Misery? How is this interview related to the novel’s theme of Confinement and Captivity?

“1001 Arabian Nights”

• This 3-minute video describes who Scheherazade is.
• Who is Scheherazade? How is Paul able to relate to her? How are their stories related to the novel’s themes of The Writing Process and Confinement and Captivity?

Part 4, Chapters 1-12

Reading Check

1. What is the first think Paul hears after his rescue?

2. Why can’t Paul continue to write after his incident with Annie?

3. How many copies of Misery’s Return does the publisher decide to print?

4. What does Paul’s editor encourage Paul to write?

5. What does Paul say he cannot write about?

6. Whom does Paul see in his apartment?

7. Where do the officers find Annie?

8. What does Paul attempt to write a new story about?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What does Paul keep imagining he sees, and what does he decide to do about it?

2. What does Annie represent to Paul?

Paired Resource

Stephen King’s Writing Process

• This 13-minute video compiles clips from interviews and lectures in which Stephen King describes his writing process.
• Content Warning: May not be appropriate for all groups (includes some offensive language)
• What are Stephen King’s tips on the writing process? How is his own process related to Paul and the novel’s theme of The Writing Process?

Recommended Next Reads

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris

• A young FBI officer in training is asked to interview an imprisoned serial killer, Hannibal Lecter, to assist in profiling and capturing a new serial killer, Buffalo Bill.
• Shared topics include serial killers, psychological thrills, and gore.
• Shared themes include Confinement and Captivity.
• The Silence of the Lambs on SuperSummary

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

• This novel is about an 8-year-old girl who is possessed by a demon and tells the story of the two priests who attempt to save her.
• Shared topics include psychological thrills, gore, and desperate circumstances.
• Shared themes include Confinement and Captivity.
• The Exorcist on SuperSummary