Carmilla
by Joseph Le Fanu
About_
This study guide accompanies a gothic tale of a young woman named Laura whose quiet life in an isolated Austrian
castle is upended by the arrival of a beguiling and mysterious guest. As the story unfolds, unsettling illnesses, eerie
dreams, and dark family secrets tied to the region’s legends slowly come to light. The guide walks students through
the key events, characters, and themes chapter by chapter while encouraging close reading and critical thinking.
This study guide contains 65 questions across 5 chapter sections (50 Factual + 15 Critical), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12
clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity.
What’s Included_
This study guide features 5 sets of 10 Factual Questions with an answer key (50 total), 5 sets of 3 Critical Analysis
Questions (15 total), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity (8 traits + evidence prompt +
critical thinking question).
Target Grades_
Grades 9-11
Teacher Note_
This guide is designed to save you preparation time while giving students a structured path through a rich,
atmospheric gothic text. The factual questions reinforce comprehension and close reading, while the critical
questions and character study push students to grapple with ambiguity, motive, and theme. We hope it helps
spark great classroom discussion!