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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 does Ralph admit to Catherine one night?

2. Where did Catherine and Alice live after their father died?

3. When Ralph was a young man, he used arsenic as an aphrodisiac in ___________________.

4. What nickname do old people give to arsenic?

5. Antonio tells Catherine that all he wants is to have Ralph dead and to ______________________.

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Antonio reveal to Catherine about his mother's death and what does he say he feels towards his father?

2. Who is Violet Alverson and how does Antonio cavalierly destroy her?

3. What does a flashback reveal about Catherine and Alice's sad childhood?

4. What is the nature of the encounter between Catherine and Alice in present day St. Louis?

5. What does Catherine do to show that she is no longer trying to poison Truitt and is going to help him heal?

6. How does Truitt think Antonio is just like himself at that age?

7. Why does Truitt allow Catherine to poison him?

8. In what way are Truitt and Antonio similar in the way they use sex?

9. What does Truitt do regarding his business as his health rapidly deteriorates?

10. What is the link between poison and passion for Truitt at this point in his life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two examples you can identify in the novel and note why they are examples of irony.

Essay Topic 2

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of evil. Identify at least two themes about evil in the book. Then cite an example to support each theme you name.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Truitt and Antonio. How are they different? How are they similar? Why is Catherine so attracted to both of them?

(see the answer keys)

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