The Paris Apartment

How does Jess’s past impact her present determination to find Ben? How does Foley characterize Jess, and why does Foley feature her as a protagonist?

Explain the significance of the title The Paris Apartment. Why is the setting important enough for the novel to be titled after it?

Read a Gothic mystery story, such as Edgar Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado (1846) or The Fall of the House of Usher (1839), and compare it to The Paris Apartment. Which elements most resonate? Consider focusing on aspects of setting.

What roles do sex and sexuality play in this novel? What is Foley’s message about how sexuality is used, abused, or nurtured?

In what ways is the apartment building both a setting and a metaphor? In your analysis, focus on at least three components of the structure of the building that provides metaphorical meaning.

Antoine is one of the most negatively portrayed characters in the novel. How do you make sense of his actions and attitudes? Is Antoine an antagonist or a victim?

How is Foley’s commentary on the control and development of wealth relatable to your real contemporary world? Explain your answer with references to specific current or historical events.

Did Ben knowingly manipulate the members of the Meunier family? Or was he genuinely attracted to them? Explain your reasoning.