View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Catherine do with the arsenic?

2. Where did Emilia go after she left Ralph all those years ago?

3. While in Chicago, Catherine gets items to treat Ralph from whom?

4. What does Ralph ask Catherine if she will do for him?

5. Which of the following is NOT something Ralph has a profound fear of?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

4. When does Truitt realize he is being poisoned and what does he do about it?

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

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

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

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

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

10. How can the phrase, "Such things happened" be interpreted as it relates to Alice's dismal life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Greed takes on a human persona in this story especially surrounding the characters of Catherine and Antonio. What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Why does Ralph allow himself to be gradually poisoned by Catherine, even after he's aware of what's happening to him? What does this decision say about his character?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,101 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample