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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 Ralph know he is being poisoned?

2. Which of the following is NOT something Antonio acquires while living at the Italian house?

3. What does Antonio threaten to do if Catherine will not kill Ralph?

4. What does Catherine do with the arsenic?

5. The Italian house is a metaphor for what?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Catherine prostitute herself and how does Alice end up doing the same thing?

2. How long does Catherine wait before going to see Antonio and why does she write to Truitt about her upcoming visit?

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

4. What does Antonio threaten to do if Catherine doesn't carry through on her promise to kill Truitt?

5. What does Truitt confide to Catherine about Emilia's behavior after she left and how her life deteriorated?

6. What had been Truitt's experience with arsenic when he was a younger man?

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

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

9. What is the significance of Catherine's clothing in the story?

10. Describe how Catherine vacillates on poisoning Truitt and how she makes the decision to stop altogether.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of Truitt. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What motivates him--if anything--at this point in his life?

Essay Topic 2

A RELIABLE WIFE is a classic story of good vs. evil. What does that classification entail? Why does this story fit into this category? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

How does Catherine compare to the wife Truitt thought he was getting as a mail order bride? Is he happy that Catherine turned out to be who she was or does Ralph still wish for the meek, ordinary woman in the photograph?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,236 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample