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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. What social event does John go to at the beginning of Chapter 28?

2. What lie does John tell Mrs. Wiley about Beth?

3. In Chapter 36, what reason does Tobin give for murdering the Gordons?

4. Who has been murdered in Chapter 29?

5. When John cannot get his partner on the phone in Chapter 16, who does he talk to instead?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the inside decor of the Murphy home.

2. After Beth and Emma have coffee together in Chapter 24, what is the mood of both women?

3. What does John and Beth suppose that Tobin planned to do with the skeleton they found in his cellar?

4. While he is out to dinner with Emma, what does John spend the evening contemplating?

5. What information does the letter from the Gordons contain in Chapter 37?

6. What unique item does John find at Tobin's apartment that leads him to believe Tobin planned to bury the treasure on his land all along?

7. After the Gordons' bodies were examined, what were some clues that they were doing something manual before their deaths?

8. What does John learn from the library about the buried treasure in Chapter 20?

9. Why has Beth come to visit John in Chapter 24?

10. What does Emma claim that Tobin told her about the Gordons?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The theme of the pursuit of power is central to the novel, Plum Island. Many important characters are pursuing power through wealth, position, and through knowledge. Discuss how DeMille's view on the pursuit of power is relevant to human nature and seen in society today.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the point of view utilized by DeMille in Plum Island. As this was a deliberate choice, discuss why DeMille may have selected the view he did and how the view employed was effective in the development of important themes. Make sure and specific textual examples to support your assertions.

Essay Topic 3

In Plum Island, in many ways regarding their personality and method of doing things, Beth serves as the character foil to John Coery. Use specific examples from the book to illustrate how their characterizations are in antithesis to each other and how these characterizations are strengthened when shown in contrast with each other.

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