Rosemary's Baby

Analyze the significance of performance in the novel. How do characters perform different social roles? What makes these performances successful or not? What is at stake when a performance fails?

The novel frequently refers to social, economic, or political events outside the immediate concern of the narrative (for example, the newspaper strike and the Pope’s visit to New York). Choose one such event and analyze its thematic significance in the novel.

In an imaginative essay, write an epilogue from the perspective of either Rosemary or Guy. Using evidence from the text, think about how the events of the last several chapters would affect these characters after the novel ends.

Many important events in the novel happen behind closed doors or are otherwise never explicitly revealed to the reader. What effects do these gaps and absences have on the narrative as a whole?

Write an essay in which you argue that Rosemary is or is not a heroic character. Think in particular about the choices she makes in the novel’s last two chapters.

The Bramford is often depicted as a character in and of itself. Write an essay in which you analyze its specific characteristics and the role it plays in the novel.

Write a compare/contrast essay in which you examine Rosemary’s Baby alongside another horror novel or short story. Focus on specific themes or stylistic elements in each.

What role does New York City play in the novel? How does it influence the narrative’s atmosphere?