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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 Newman find out that Valentin has been injured in the duel?

2. What piece of possible evidence does Mrs. Bread have about how Claire's father died?

3. What makes Mrs. Bread decide to tell what he knows about how Claire's father died?

4. How does Claire feel about the duel?

5. Who does Valentin think knows what really happened with his father's death?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Newman ask Mrs. Tristam about at the engagement party?

2. What is Newman's original plan in confronting Urbain and Madame de Bellegarde about the way Claire's father died?

3. How did Mrs. Bread get connected to the Bellegarde familiy?

4. What did Madame de Bellegarde once accuse Mrs. Bread of?

5. What does Claire say to Newman when they finally speak after their engagement is called off?

6. What kind of story does a duchess tell about Newman at this engagement party?

7. What does Mrs. Tristam have to say about Claire and Newman's broken engagement?

8. What does Urbain request of Newman when he comes and confesses that his father was in fact murdered?

9. What does Valentin think happened surrounding the death of his father?

10. What does Urbain's wife ask Newman to do during the opera?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify what you think is the tone for "The American" and discuss 3 literary devices that James uses to create this tone.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss at least 4 ways "The American" would be different if the protagonist were female.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss at least 3 literary devices that James uses to help the reader better understand at least one character of your choosing. Use direct quotations and/or examples from the text to support your position.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 736 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample