The Night the Bed Fell Summary
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Questions and Answers

What was the primary reason for the mother's opposition to the father sleeping in the attic?

  • She believed he would feel lonely.
  • She thought the bed was unsafe. (correct)
  • She wanted him to sleep on the first floor.
  • She was concerned about the cold attic.
  • What peculiar belief did Briggs Beall hold about his sleep?

  • He thought he could sleep without breathing.
  • He thought alarm clocks were unnecessary.
  • He feared he would die of suffocation. (correct)
  • He believed he needed to sleep in the attic.
  • How did the father's personality reflect his decision to sleep in the attic?

  • He was overly cautious.
  • He was easily discouraged.
  • He was playful and light-hearted.
  • He was thoughtful and introspective. (correct)
  • What item did Briggs keep at his bedside and why?

    <p>A glass of spirits of camphor as a reviver. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What physical reaction did the narrator have to Briggs' attempt at holding his breath?

    <p>He called out to him. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the phrase 'high-water mark of my youth' suggest about the event recounted?

    <p>It had significant importance to the narrator. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How was Grandfather described in relation to his visits?

    <p>He often came back grumpy and dissatisfied. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be inferred about the narrator's personality based on his interactions with Briggs?

    <p>He is caring and reassuring. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What consequence did the bed's design have when the sides were lifted?

    <p>It created a risk of tipping over. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the mother's initial reaction upon hearing the noise from the fallen bed?

    <p>She thought the big wooden bed had fallen on her husband. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Briggs' misunderstanding during the incident?

    <p>He believed he was suffocating. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the protagonist feel immediately after being rolled onto the floor?

    <p>Warmly bundled and unhurt. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What action did Briggs take when he felt suffocated?

    <p>He poured camphor over himself. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What sound did Hermann initially respond to when his mother yelled?

    <p>His mother's scream. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the protagonist realize after the noise of the commotion?

    <p>He was under his bed. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the reaction of the protagonist to the situation when he became aware?

    <p>He was confused about his surroundings. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Old Aunt Melissa Beall's premonition regarding her death?

    <p>She would die on South High Street (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What fearful scenario did Aunt Sarah Shoaf imagine every night?

    <p>A burglar using chloroform to incapacitate her (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Aunt Gracie Shoaf respond to her fear of burglars?

    <p>She threw shoes down the hallway to scare them off (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Aunt Sarah Shoaf leave outside her bedroom to deter burglars?

    <p>Her valuables with a note (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Herman known to do while sleeping?

    <p>Sing patriotic songs (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What action would Aunt Gracie frequently take after turning off the light at night?

    <p>Throw shoes down the hallway (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the family's dog named, and where did it sleep?

    <p>Rex, in the hallway (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During what event did the narrative state that significant incidents occurred?

    <p>The night the bed fell on father (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main reason for the confusion and uproar in the house?

    <p>The father was assumed to be in danger. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the mother react when she thought her husband was in danger?

    <p>She shouted and tried to open the attic door. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the father initially believe was happening when he was awakened?

    <p>The house was on fire. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Briggs' state during the uproar?

    <p>He was panicked and confused. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the dog do in response to the chaos?

    <p>Jumped at Briggs, seeing him as a threat. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the mother feel after seeing the father come down safely?

    <p>Relieved and grateful. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the father complain about after the incident?

    <p>Feeling cold from bare feet. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the overall mood during the incident?

    <p>Confused and chaotic. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the mother's initial belief regarding the father's situation during the chaos?

    <p>He was trapped under the bed. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What action did Roy take to manage Rex, the dog, during the commotion?

    <p>He threw Rex and held him. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Briggs reassure the others during the panic?

    <p>He shouted he was fine. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the father's response upon finally waking up during the chaos?

    <p>He was irritable and confused. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of bed did the narrator sleep on?

    <p>An army cot (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the narrator's initial reaction after the bed fell on him?

    <p>He felt warm and unhurt. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What action did the mother take in an attempt to rescue the father?

    <p>She tried to open the attic door. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the narrator's mother respond to the noise of the bed falling?

    <p>She thought the narrator was in danger. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which phrase best describes the father's state when he finally came downstairs?

    <p>Sleepy and irritable. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the mother feel relieved about when she saw the father was safe?

    <p>That their grandfather was not present. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Briggs's mistaken belief when he awoke?

    <p>He thought he was suffocating. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did the narrator find before being able to join everyone at the attic door?

    <p>The light switch. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What mistake did Briggs make with the camphor?

    <p>He poured it over himself. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which sound woke Herman, the narrator's brother?

    <p>Their mother's scream. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Briggs attempt to do after he awoke?

    <p>Break the window. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What unusual sensation did the narrator experience while trying to get up?

    <p>He felt the bed above him. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why did the mother oppose the father's decision to sleep in the attic?

    <p>She believed the bed was unsafe. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the main reason Briggs Beall was nervous about sleeping?

    <p>He believed he might stop breathing in his sleep. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What unusual behavior did Briggs Beall engage in to soothe his fears?

    <p>He used spirits of camphor as a reviver. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be inferred about Grandfather's character based on his behavior?

    <p>He was easily annoyed and confrontational. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What literary device is primarily used in describing the father's decision to sleep in the attic?

    <p>Foreshadowing (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did the narrator interact with Briggs Beall regarding his fears?

    <p>He lied to him about being a deep sleeper. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of the story's setting is emphasized through the narrative?

    <p>The potential dangers of a seemingly ordinary home. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What narrative tone is primarily conveyed throughout the story?

    <p>Humorous and light-hearted (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Aunt Melissa Beall's premonition related to?

    <p>Dying on South High Street (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What unusual practice did Aunt Sarah Shoaf follow to protect herself from her fears?

    <p>Leaving a note near her valuables (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How did Aunt Gracie Shoaf believe she scared off potential burglars?

    <p>By throwing shoes down the hallway (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which family member made noise while sleeping?

    <p>Herman (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was Aunt Sarah's greater dread than losing her household goods?

    <p>Being given chloroform (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What did Aunt Gracie do with her shoes before going to bed?

    <p>She piled them near her bed (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What detail indicates that the father might be an inattentive husband?

    <p>He pretends to be sound asleep (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What was the arrangement of the rooms mentioned in the content?

    <p>The mother and son in the front room upstairs (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Father's attic sleep

    The father decided to sleep in the attic.

    Mother's concern

    "The old wooden bed up there was unsafe", due to its wobbliness and potential for injury.

    Grandfather's absence

    Grandfather was temporarily gone for a few days; returning grumpy and with political complaints.

    Briggs Beall's fear

    Briggs Beall was afraid of suffocating while sleeping.

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    Camphor remedy

    Briggs kept camphor to revive himself if he ceased breathing.

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    Family quirks

    The narrator and his family exhibited specific traits.

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    Attic bed creaking

    Ominous sounds were heard from the attic bed.

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    Testing light sleeper

    The narrator's sleep was tested when his cousin held his breath, testing the narrator's ability to wake.

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    Iron cot

    A type of bed, made of metal, that is easily tipped over.

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    Deep sleeper

    A person who sleeps very soundly and is hard to wake up.

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    Accidentally tipped cot

    The iron cot rolled over the person who was sleeping in it.

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    Mother's fear

    The mother thought the main floor bed fell on the father.

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    Briggs's reaction

    Briggs, believing he was suffocating, poured camphor on himself.

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    Broken window

    Briggs broke the window to escape what he thought was suffocation.

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    Unhurt

    The person sleeping in the bed was not harmed when it fell on them.

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    Realization

    The sleeper realized, in a vague way, they were under the bed, not on it.

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    Aunt Melissa's Premonition

    Aunt Melissa believed she would die on South High Street because she was born and married there.

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    Aunt Sarah's Burglar Fear

    Aunt Sarah feared burglars and chloroform, so she kept valuables outside her bedroom.

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    Aunt Gracie's Burglar Phobia

    Aunt Gracie believed burglars were entering her house regularly, but reported no theft.

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    Aunt Gracie's Shoe Defense

    Aunt Gracie would throw shoes down the hallway to scare off burglars at night.

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    Family Room Layout

    The layout of the rooms and where family members slept was essential for the description of a later event.

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    Night's Activity

    The account describes the family's activities and room locations during the night of the episode, as well as the room layout.

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    Herman's Sleep Songs

    Herman, the brother, sang 'Marching Through Georgia' or 'Onward Christian Soldiers' while sleeping.

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    Family's Reaction

    Family members' actions and reactions to the description of the night's events provide background context.

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    House occupants

    The people present in the house during the night. Includes the narrator, Briggs, mother, Herman, Roy, father, and a dog (Rex).

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    Shared characters' qualities

    The characters exhibit a sense of anxiousness and disorientation, especially at the start of the event, with a focus on getting out of a difficult situation.

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    Example of shared quality

    The parents, narrator, Herman, and Briggs all express urgency and concern, shouting for help or reassurance, and searching for a solution.

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    Attic room layout

    The attic door is difficult to open, causing commotion.

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    Father's room layout

    Father is in a separate bedroom.

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    Final Resolution

    The family discovered the Father was safe after the false alarm.

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    Dog's Reaction

    The dog, Rex, reacted strangely and assumed that Briggs was the culprit.

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    Cousin Briggs's fear

    Briggs, the narrator's cousin, was terrified of suffocating while sleeping. He believed he needed to be awakened hourly to avoid dying in his sleep.

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    The attic bed

    The old wooden bed in the attic was deemed unsafe due to its instability and the heavy headboard, which could potentially fall on the sleeper.

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    The night the bed fell

    This refers to the whole event of the night when the bed in the attic fell, causing a commotion and a false alarm throughout the house.

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    The father in the attic

    The father decided to sleep in the attic to find peace and solitude, despite his wife's concerns about the unsafe bed.

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    Rex, the dog

    The family's dog reacted oddly to the commotion, particularly focusing on Briggs, suggesting a misunderstanding of the situation.

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    False alarm

    The family's worries about the father were proven to be false; it was the bed that had fallen, not the father.

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    Cot's design

    The iron cot was designed with foldable sides, which, when raised, made it dangerously unstable. This design made the cot prone to tipping over, especially when someone rolled too close to the edge.

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    Mother's reaction

    The mother, believing the heavy wooden bed had fallen on the father, reacted with immediate fear and concern. This was due to her prior worries about the attic bed's safety.

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    Briggs's misinterpretation

    Awakened by the commotion, Briggs misunderstood the situation, thinking he was suffocating and that everyone was trying to rescue him. This led to his panicked actions.

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    Camphor misuse

    Briggs, in his panic, poured the camphor intended for reviving him directly onto himself, creating a strong odor in the room.

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    Window smashing

    Believing he was suffocating, Briggs broke the window to escape what he thought was a stuffy room, adding to the already chaotic situation.

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    Uncanny realization

    The narrator, still under the fallen cot, slowly realized that they were not on the bed but under it, finally connecting the noise to the cot's fall.

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    Mistaken alarm

    The family's initial belief that the father was trapped under the bed was incorrect. This was a false alarm, as the actual issue was the fallen bed.

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    Briggs's fear

    Briggs, the narrator's cousin, sleeps with camphor because he's terrified of suffocating while sleeping. He's convinced he needs to be awakened hourly.

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    Attic bed

    The old wooden bed in the attic is deemed unsafe due to its potential for causing injury by falling.

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    Father's sleep

    The father, a deep sleeper, is initially oblivious to the chaos unfolding downstairs, only awakened by the loud banging on the attic door.

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    The dog's reaction

    The family's dog, Rex, reacts oddly to the commotion, seemingly blaming Briggs for the chaos. This suggests an animal's confusion and misinterpretation of the situation.

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    The layout of the house

    The description of the house's layout establishes the setting and helps understand how each character's actions can impact the others, including the attic room and the different rooms where each person sleeps.

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    Chaos and misunderstanding

    The entire night's events are driven by a series of mistaken assumptions and misinterpretations, causing a crescendo of fear and confusion.

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    Study Notes

    The Night the Bed Fell: Summary

    • The narrator recounts a humorous anecdote about a night when his father slept in the attic, and the bed fell on him. This story is more of a narration than a straightforward account.
    • The narrator emphasizes a series of events and exaggerates the reactions of the characters, creating an amusing and slightly absurd scene.

    Characters and their Reactions

    • Characters include the narrator's father, mother, brothers, cousins, and a dog.
    • The mother is depicted as overly worried and fearful about anything unusual or potentially dangerous happening around them and the others. She is depicted as more worried about the well-being, safety and health of the father more than anything else.
    • The other characters in the story react with similar exaggerated concerns and fears, creating humor and slightly absurd situations.

    The Story's Setting

    • The setting is in the narrator's home, with the focus on the layout of the house, particularly the rooms and the disposition of the household members and pets, creating a sense of atmosphere and suspense. The setting in a house is important to the story because it enhances the humor.

    Humor and Exaggeration

    • The narrative relies heavily on exaggeration and absurd scenarios to develop humor.
    • Characters' fears and superstitions are presented in a comical manner.
    • The way the household members reacted to the story is shown through exaggerated expressions and behaviour, creating a humorous effect and a feeling of mild exaggeration from the narrator.
    • The narrator exaggerates their fear and beliefs, intensifying the humor.

    The Story's Structure

    • The narrative recounts a series of surprising and humorous events, leading up to the climax of the bed falling on the father. There is significant use of dramatic irony throughout the story and characters' reactions.
    • The story is structured using a humorous tone and exaggerating various characters' reactions to unexpected and somewhat absurd situations.

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    The Night the Bed Fell PDF

    Description

    Explore the humorous and absurd tale recounted by the narrator about a night in which his father's bed fell on him while he slept in the attic. The story highlights the exaggerated reactions of family members, particularly the worry of the mother, creating a lively and amusing atmosphere. Dive into the characters and setting that make this story a delightful read.

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