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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 disgusts Gabriel?

2. What does Désirée husband do soon after their first child is born?

3. Who is Gouvernail?

4. What does Alcée write to his wife?

5. Why does Mrs. Baroda tell her husband she is going to visit some relatives?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Armand withdraw from Désirée?

2. What changes everything for Athénaïse and what does she do?

3. Why does Elizabeth lose her job at the post office?

4. How does Mrs. Baroda feel towards Gourvernail at the opening of the story, and what does she do as a result?

5. What does Clarisse do when she learns Alcée is going to see Calixta and why does she do what she does?

6. How does Louise Mallard respond to the news?

7. What is the difference between Calixta and Clarissa?

8. What does Louise Mallard learn and how does she learn of it?

9. What does Mrs. Sommers receive and what does she plan to do with it?

10. Why does Mr. Sublet change his attitude towards Evariste?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Awakening could be said to be a "bildungsroman" of Edna Pontellier, the narrator. Discuss the following:

1. Define the concepts "bildungsroman" and "coming of age."

2. Thoroughly trace and analyze The Awakening as a bildungsroman of Edna Pontellier. Give specific examples. What does Edna learn? How has she changed? Is the change for the better?

3. Thoroughly trace and analyze Athénaïse as a coming of age story. Give specific examples. What does Athénaïse learn? How has she changed? Is the change for the better?

Essay Topic 2

Setting as far as place and time play an important role in The Awakening and many of Chopin's short stories. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast several aspects of the setting of that time (late 1800s) from how it would be today. Consider things such as cultural norms/expectations, technology, religion and medicine.

2. Do you The Awakening or any of the short stories would be different if it were set in another state in the United States, such as California, in that same era? Consider particularly the fact that Creole people often have a strong identification with the area around New Orleans.

3. What issues that are present in the time of The Awakening would still be issues today? What would no longer be issues? Consider such things as class, racism, alcoholism, sexual freedom, rugged individualism and integrity.

Essay Topic 3

Certainly The Awakening and also most of Chopin's other short stories in this volume deal with the subject of gender. Discuss the following:

1. Define the term "gender."

2. Does gender only refer to whether a person is male or female? Is gender easy to identify?

3. Discuss the Creole cultural definitions of gender during the era of The Awakening and the expectations for each gender. Do any of those expectations exist today?

4. Discuss two short stories in which gender seems to be a theme. How is the theme treated? Would you like to live in a culture that has those expectations for men and women?

5. Are women the only ones harmed by gender-based expectations? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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