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

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is Marlowe trying to save?

2. How many time does Marlowe shoot Canino?

3. What does Marlowe do after making his phone calls?

4. Whose car does Marlowe climb into?

5. What does Marlow hide behind?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the values of 1930s America:

1) Why was morality such an issue during this time?

2) In what ways are the characters negative characteristics a product of their time? Do you think America was going through a transitional phase in the fifties? What significant changes do you think occurred during this period?

3) Does modern society share any values with thirties America?

Essay Topic 2

Compare the characters of Marlowe and Vivian:

1) In what way are their morals different?

2) What is their relationship to each other?

3) Do you think they are the perfect match?

Essay Topic 3

The Big Sleep is known as hardboiled crime fiction.

1) What are the conventions of the genre in terms of character, language and plot?

2) In what way did Big Sleep help to set the template for similar novels? Do modern novels still use the ideas used in Big Sleep?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 213 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample