Essay Questions

What is the figurative connotation of Renee’s private room?

The reader is introduced to Renee, a woman who is very secretive. She has a private room which is always closed. The author takes the reader inside Renee’s room and discovers that it is full of books covering almost every subject in human history and the environment. The reader notices that Renee stores most of her valuable in this private room and this is where she spends most of her time. This private room figurate Renee’s soul and secrecy. She keeps everything to herself except when she decides to share with Paloma and Kakuro who turn out to be best friends.

How does the author depict the imagery of sight to the reader?

The imagery of sight becomes evident when Renee first visits Kakuro. While in Kakuro's house, Renee notices a picture hanged on the wall and she takes keen interest to look at it. The picture is impressive and she starts to imagine the beauty of art and its significance to humanity. Art helps people to express their feelings and admirations. This imagery plays a vital role in aiding the reader to understand the importance of art and how it can be used to express one's feelings.

What is the significance of the character Kakuro in The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery?

The author uses the character Kakuro to present the irony of life. Under normal circumstances, the rich people consider themselves superior to poor people and they choose to spend most of their time with people of their caliber. However, despite Kakuro being a rich man, he chooses to befriend Renee who is not from the rich class. Their friendship blossoms despite the differences in their social status.