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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. In Chapter 45, who is arrested after Savonarola?

2. Why does Cristoforo say Savonarola is losing power in Chapter 41?

3. In Chapter 28, what does Cristoforo give to Alessandra?

4. In Chapter 30, how does the painter say he learned about the human form?

5. In Chapter 42, what happens when Savonarola fails to raise to the challenge of another monk?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is the painter arrested?

2. What happens when Alessandra visits the chapel before the dedication?

3. Why does Cristoforo fake his death?

4. Why does Cristoforo want Alessandra to kick the painter out of their house in Chapter 34?

5. What is Alessandra's life like when the painter is at the convent?

6. When Alessandra visits the painter while he is locked in the chapel, what does she discover about his art?

7. Why does the painter end up locking himself in the chapel, even refusing food?

8. In Chapter 22, what worries Cristoforo about the current political climate?

9. In Chapter 25, why does Alessandra ask her mother about her engagement?

10. Why does the painter come to visit Alessandra in Chapter 21?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the use of symbolism in this novel. Consider Alessandra's snake tattoo or the images in the frescos.

Essay Topic 2

What is the author's commentary on the power of loss? How does she make loss into a motif?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the influence of religion in this novel. How does it serve as a theme?

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