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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. Who is Karin Baum?
2. Why is Rolf deeply upset?
3. From what does Veronika think she is invulnerable?
4. What did Hans-Jurgen do that everyone knows about?
5. What creates a whirlpool?
Short Essay Questions
1. What is the effect of the painter's actions on Anton and what do the townspeople say about it?
2. Who is Veronika and why does she eat all the pastries that Hanna's mother serves?
3. Where does Manfred Weiler's family live?
4. What happens to a young couple who are in their car and who do the townspeople think is responsible?
5. How and why does Anton cull his violets?
6. What does Manfred's father do with the money and then what does he ask his wife when he returns home?
7. Where do Hanna and Renate search for Hans-Jurgen and what is the outcome?
8. How does Hanna describe Hannelore's personality?
9. What did Rolf tell Hanna not to do?
10. How does the wife respond to her husband's request and what does Manfred do?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Hanna's grandmother is saved from death by a faith healer who massages darkness and pain out of her body that has little to do with the blood clot that is threatening her life. In this case, however, believing in something spiritual, in something impossible, seems to have spared Oma's life. Connected to this story is the story of Renate, the young friend of Hanna's with a polio damaged leg. Hanna uses Oma's story of the faith healer to attempt to fix Renate's leg. While the treatment does not change Renate's leg, it repairs their friendship which adds to Hanna's belief in the practice.
1. Discuss, in depth, why you think Hanna's grandmother was healed of the blood clot. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.
2. Why do you think Hanna attempting to heal Renate's leg restored their friendship? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.
3. Do you think a person who works to heal their emotional or past pains can have an effect on the body of that person? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.
Essay Topic 2
Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:
1. Compare/contrast the characters of Hanna and Renate. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.
2. Compare/contrast the characters of the architect and Manfred's father. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?
3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in Floating in My Mother's Palm help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.
Essay Topic 3
Titles often play a vital role in making a person decide to read a particular book. Discuss the following:
1. Fully explain why you think Floating in My Mother's Palm is titled as such. Do you think it is the best title for the book? Why or why not? Can you think of a better title? Why would you choose it?
2. How important is a title in influencing you to consider reading a book? Explain your answer.
3. Do you think a title needs to have direct relevance to a book's content? Explain your answer.
4. Have you ever read a book that when you finished, you do not understand the relevance of the title? Does it discourage you from "trusting" that particular author again?
This section contains 1,014 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |