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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 item of his does Mike find in Jo's studio?

2. Whom does Mike see walking down the middle of the road when he drives into town for lunch?

3. What is Harold's profession?

4. What superstitious habit did Mike and Johanna have when he finished a book?

5. What does Mike notice when he goes into the bathroom to take a shower after his wild night of hallucinations?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Mike meet Mattie and Kyra Devore and why is the meeting emotionally difficult for him?

2. Where does Mike go on his first vacation without Jo and what realization does he come to there?

3. What is Mike's demeanor when he spends Christmas with Jo's family, the Arlens?

4. Why is the completion of his novel a month after Johanna's death the event that drives home the fact that she will not be coming back?

5. What does Mattie tell Mike is the reason she is in such a good mood after talking to John Storrow?

6. What does Mike find unusual about Mattie's statement about not calling again when he is working?

7. Had Johanna told anyone else about her pregnancy?

8. What disturbing sound does Mike hear in his house during the night?

9. What does Mike hope to capture on the dictaphone and what sound is actually recorded?

10. Why does Mike think that there must not be a connection between Mattie and Max Devore, a wealthy man in the area?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author uses more than one iteration on the theme of truth. Identify at least two instances about pride in the book and then cite examples to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Create a brief character study of Mattie. What did she look like? What were her positive personality traits? What were her dreams and fears? What was most valuable to her in her world?

Essay Topic 3

Describe Kyra. What is her role in the story? What was the author trying to accomplish by developing Kyra's character in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,218 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample