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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. Where does Denise get a job?

2. What is Mouret's best business skill?

3. The silk department employees wish that ____________ would not come back from holiday.

4. What does Denise finally get when spring arrives?

5. On what product does Mouret stake the store's future?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Bourdoncle think that Denise could be the demise of the store?

2. How does the store bring out the worst in the store's customers?

3. Describe the initial contacts between Denise and Mouret.

4. Why is the summer season especially difficult for the store employees?

5. Why does Denise's rejection of Mouret's advances leave him confused?

6. What is the burgeoning awareness between Mouret and Denise?

7. What is the symbolism of Genevieve's death?

8. What is the perception by the store management when they learn that the sales girls are taking on extra work?

9. How does the author show the theme of class system in Chapter 13?

10. What is Denise's demeanor during this difficult time at the store?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of Mouret. 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 at this point in his life?

Essay Topic 2

Explain the role of women in the early 1800s when this novel was written. What precedents do they feel compelled to follow? What restrictions do they have? What freedoms did they have that 21st century women do not have?

Essay Topic 3

Refusing to be bought is an important theme in the story. Cite at least three examples of how the characters refuse to give in or be bought by someone else.

(see the answer keys)

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