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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. Lisa Shilling's only sibling is..
2. Which character begins the novel with a goal to be the first woman justice on the Supreme Court and ends the novel contemplating a career in psychology?
3. The first person that Mary Nell Fickett confided in about Lisa Shilling's possible mental illness was...
4. When Lisa Shilling first tells her father that she thinks she might be going crazy, he tells her...
5. While Mary Nell Fickett talks to Mrs. Shilling about Lisa Shilling, Betsy Goodman talks to whom?
Short Essay Questions
1. Why does Lisa Shilling tell her parents that she thinks she is mentally ill in front of her friend Mary Nell Fickett?
2. Describe Mary Nell Fickett's and Besty Goodman's initial attempts to secure professional help for their friend Lisa Shilling.
3. Why is Betsy Goodman the youngest of the major protagonists?
4. Describe the family situation of the four main characters.
5. Who is the narrator in chapter one?
6. What kind of a job does Mr. Jackson do as the school principal?
7. Describe Lisa on a so-called bright day and contrast that description to Lisa on a so-called dark day.
8. Why does Lisa Shilling feel more comfortable with her new friend Betsy Goodman than with her older friend Mary Nell Fickett?
9. Why does Betsy Goodman self-describe as the least important person in the narrative?
10. What kind of a job does Mr. Goodman do as an insurance salesman?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Examine the role of gender in the novel--do characters act they way they do because they are male or female? Which characters (if any) don't act like they 'should' for their gender?
Essay Topic 2
In the final analysis, who is the novel 'about'? Is the novel the story of Lisa Shilling and her fight against mental illness? Or is the novel about Betsy Goodman and her coming of age as a friend in a difficult relationship? Is it about denial in parents and community? Or is it about someone or something else? Explain and defend your selection.
Essay Topic 3
Imagine you are on a jury deciding the apportionment of 'blame' for Lisa's worsening condition. Which character of the novel would you select to receive the lion's share of the blame for Lisa spending many months with worsening symptoms without receiving adequate professional help. For this exercise, you may not select Mr. or Mrs. Shilling. Explain and defend your selection.
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This section contains 1,020 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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