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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 is the first thing Mary has Grace do in order to make her presentable at her new job?

2. What does Jordan see as the main difference between European and North American servants?

3. What does Jordan believe about Verringer’s relationship with Grace?

4. With whom does Grace’s father find lodging when they arrive in Canada?

5. How does Mary Whitney’s father lose his farm?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Dr. Jordan help Mrs. Humphreys’ situation?

2. What is bothering Jordan in Chapter 4?

3. Where does Jordan visit Grace in Chapter 4 and what does he do with her?

4. Who brings Jordan his breakfast in the boarding house and what does Jordan think of the breakfast?

5. What does Mrs. Humphreys do at the opening of Chapter 6 and what is Dr. Jordan’s response?

6. What does Grace say about her family in her confession at the beginning of Chapter 5?

7. What document starts Chapter 2?

8. What is happening with Grace in the first page of Chapter 1?

9. How are hysterics defined at the beginning of Chapter 6?

10. What are the three letters that are shown at the beginning of Chapter 4?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven or action driven? Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why? Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character are developed to the same degree? Why or why not? What type of plot do you think Alias Grace is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

Upon her release from prison, the historical Grace was required to fill out a questionnaire, which still exists. The questionnaire asks the immediate cause of the crime for which Grace went to prison. She writes as an answer that it was from working in a house which also had a villain working there.

Discuss the above statement in terms of what Grace claims happened when Nancy and Thomas Kinnear were killed and in terms of what James McDermott says happened. Use examples from Alias Grace to support your response.

Essay Topic 3

Often, authors will write about what they know, and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Margaret Atwood. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the Atwood's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Atwood's probable agenda concerning that idea.

(see the answer keys)

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