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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In order to help make a character more believable, how should the details be presented?

2. What does "controlled disbelief" refer to?

3. What is the number of characters available to a writer, according to the author in Chapter 18?

4. What is it that changes the control a writer has when they write words down?

5. What happens if a disproportionate amount of justification is presented in a story?

Short Essay Questions

1. What can contribute to a powerful sense of attitude for a character?

2. What is "controlled disbelief"?

3. What happens when a reader interprets a change in a character that was not intended?

4. How can a writer explore a character's past?

5. What is the difference between a presentation and a representation perspective?

6. What are the advantages to using an omniscient or limited narration?

7. What is comedy usually the result of, and what is humor based on?

8. What are the three levels in which a writer can penetrate the mind or experience of a viewpoint character?

9. What is the value of justification and how does a writer decide the amount to include in a story?

10. How does the importance of a character affect the change undergone, and what effect does it have on the writing of the narrative?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the hero in fiction as it is described in the book. Explain the definition of a hero, what traits contribute to a heroic character, which situations can cause characters to reveal their heroic side, and how an ordinary person doing extraordinary things can add to the drama of a story. Include examples of literature to illustrate the way a hero can be created and developed effectively.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the hierarchy of the three types of characters in fiction. Use the book to provide and describe examples of walk-ons, minor characters, and major characters, the main functions of each, and any similarities between them.

Essay Topic 3

The narrator is a crucial part of fiction because he/she is responsible for telling the story. 1) Describe a first person narrative, its advantages and disadvantages, and the techniques a writer uses when writing in first person.

2) Describe the advantages and disadvantages of a third person narrative, including the differences between the omniscient and viewpoint narrator.

3) Explain the importance of the narration in fiction and how it can be written to engage the reader fully.

(see the answer keys)

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