"Mexican Gothic" by Silvia Moreno-Garcia Quiz

Answer: Anthropology

Noemi is a young socialite whose family has money. She is at the age where she is expected to find a suitable husband and represent her family in a fitting manner. She wants to go to university to study anthropology, something her father does not agree with.

When her father receives a strange letter and needs Noemi's help, she agrees in exchange for the opportunity to pursue her studies.

Answer: Cousin

Catalina is Noemi's cousin. Catalina is newly married and moved away with her new husband. Noemi hasn't spoken to her cousin in close to a year and assumes that it is because Catalina is enjoying being newly married. A letter arrives that is disconcerting as Catalina suggests she is being poisoned and asks for help. She specifically asks for Noemi to visit her.

Answer: England

Catalina is now married and part of the Doyle family. She lives with the Doyle brothers, and their mother and father. They live a train ride away from Noemi in a mansion high on a hill in a place called El Triunfo. The name of the house is High Place and it is built in a very English style.

When the Doyles moved to Mexico they wanted to keep a piece of England with them and they did that in the architecture and style of the house and grounds. Noemi is taken aback when she arrives there. It is dark, damp and drab.

There is no electric lighting, no music, no laughter or chatter.

Answer: Snake

Throughout the house Noemi finds the image of a snake that is eating its tail. Also known as the ouroboros, Noemi sees the image throughout the house and in the greenhouse, on both the floor and the ceiling. She finds out that the family chose that as a symbol of infinity and wonders if there is something more sinister in the symbol.

Answer: Nightmares

Noemi has strange, scary and very vivid nightmares very soon after arriving at High Place. This is unusual and frightening because Catalina spoke of ghosts in her letter asking for help. Noemi develops bags under her eyes, loses her appetite and is told that she starts to sleepwalk. She has trouble discerning what is real and what is a nightmare and becomes afraid to fall asleep.

Answer: Camarillo

There are very rigid rules in place at High Place. Noemi is instructed not to venture into town by herself, for her safety. She does manage to get into town and sees a doctor there called Dr. Camarillo. He tells her a bit more about the family history of secrecy and tragedy and does agree to come to the house to take a look at Catalina himself.

He agrees with Noemi that Catalina is unwell and needs help but the Doyles have their own doctor and are untrusting of "outsiders." They refuse to let Catalina leave the house for external help.

Answer: Virgil

Virgil Doyle is the oldest of the Doyle sons. He is a handsome but cold and intimidating figure. Noemi clashes with him over the care of Catalina and they have an acrimonious relationship because of that. Noemi doesn't believe that he has Catalina's best interests at heart and tries to persuade him to get additional help for her but he refuses. Virgil has a younger brother named Francis who befriends Noemi and helps her navigate the unfriendly house.

Answer: Fungus

There is a pervasive feeling of rot and mold and damp at High Place. At times Noemi feels that she can see the walls and the wallpaper move but she thinks it is her imagination. She discovers to her horror that there is a fungus running through and under the house that enters into a relationship with any humans that enter the house.

The world of this fungus is called the gloom and allows the people in the house to see the past but also gives them terrifying visions. Once a human is taken by the gloom, they are physically unable to leave the house.

Answer: Silver

The Doyles are in the business of silver mining. They once had a prosperous business and employed local people to work in the mines. There were problems with the mines including a revolt when many of the workers died from illness. The mine ultimately became unsuccessful and was shut down. The Doyles intended to use Catalina's family money to build it up again.

Answer: Agnes

Against all odds and despite the physical difficulties of fleeing the house, Noemi decides that she needs to escape with Catalina. The house of course fights back. In the end, Francis, Catalina and Noemi are able to escape from the house before it burns to the ground. Francis suffers the most during the exodus and is under the care of the town doctor after their escape.