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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. How does Joan learn of her mother's death?

2. Who is Joan's fictional heroine?

3. What flower is the man in the ravine holding?

4. Who says, "I have a good idea...Why don't we get married?"

5. In Chapter 9, what does Joan believe she excelled at in high school?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the implications of Joan sending Arthur a postcard from Rome?

2. Why is discovering that Paul writes romance novels valuable to Joan's life?

3. Why does Joan like to go to the movies with her Aunt Lou?

4. Why does Joan bury her clothes?

5. Describe Joan's personality while in high school.

6. How does Joan see her father differently after she returns home for the funeral?

7. Describe Leda Sprott's appearance and her significance at Joan's wedding.

8. Explain why Joan does not tell her husband Arthur that she writes Costume Gothic novels.

9. Describe Joan's first encounter with Arthur.

10. Describe the significance of Aunt Lou's inheritance on Joan's life.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the character of Joan's father. What is her relationship with her father and what is his influence on her as a child?

Essay Topic 2

Does the ending of the novel suggest that Joan has some hope of retiring her former double life and becoming a person who enters into relationships with honesty? What does Joan's interaction with the reporter in the hospital suggest about how Joan has changed or not?

Essay Topic 3

Why can't Joan confront Marlene about their past encounters? Why does she hide in the ladies' room? Are there other examples in the novel where Joan responds in a similar manner? What does this suggest about Joan's character?

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