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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 money does Spade accept as a retainer?

2. What did Brigid take to San Francisco with her?

3. How does Brigid react to Spade's declaration that he met Cairo?

4. Who does Brigid say hid the statue?

5. What have Polhaus and Dundy come to question Spade about?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Spade tell Brigid that Cairo wants?

2. What does Brigid tell Spade about her part in the falcon in the ninth chapter?

3. Why does Brigid want to get rid of the falcon?

4. How does Hammett use visual images in the novel?

5. How does Hammett use characters names to symbolize their function?

6. Why does Spade usher Iva out of his office?

7. How was the falcon made?

8. What has happened to Miss Wonderly's sister?

9. Why is the sixth chapter called the undersized shadow?

10. Describe the game going on between Brigid and Spade?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine Hammett's writing style. How would you describe Hammett's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? Does he use any specific writing techniques? What meaning does Hammett's style give to the story?

Essay Topic 2

The Maltese Falcon is part of the crime genre.

1) What are the conventions of the The Maltese Falcon genre in terms of character, language and plot?

2) In what way did The Maltese Falcon help to set the template for similar crime novels? Do modern crime novels still use the ideas used in The Maltese Falcon?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the novel's dialogue. How does Hammett's dialogue contribute to the following areas:

1) Character

2) Setting

3) Plot

(see the answer keys)

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