The Bloody Chamber Lesson Plan

This is a story about a girl who marries a man she hardly knows. Why did she marry him?

Many possible responses, including:

• She is poor and he is very wealthy, she sees it as an opportunity to have a better life.
• She feels like she’s had a protected, sheltered girlhood and wants something exciting to happen.
• She thinks it’s time for her to grow up and leave home.
• She’s flattered by the Marquis’ interest in her; she feels like he sees something special in her that others do not.
• She’s attracted to him and feels curious about what sex will be like.

What details in the story suggest that “The Bloody Chamber” takes place at a...