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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. How much older is Mireille than Silas?

2. What does Silas see lying in a hospital bed when he wakes from his nightmare?

3. How many times have Kate and Mikey secretly met?

4. What is the name of Kate's current girlfriend?

5. What color is the settee in Lydia's living room?

Short Essay Questions

1. What event does Lydia admit to Silas when she hears that Du Boise is back in town?

2. What two revelations does Lydia make when the letter arrives to her from Martha in Toronto.

3. Why does Mikey travel to Shirley Graham's home and what is her reaction to hosting him?

4. How does the Ali family react to Silas's seizure?

5. When Silas returns from the hospital, where he attempted to pick up Lydia, what fears is he suddenly seized with?

6. What does Silas think about as he is driving home from the hospital after refusing medical care?

7. What memories does Silas have of his father, and his father dying?

8. What is Mikey's reaction to reading that he is the product of a rape in his mother's diary?

9. How does Silas react to the news that Du Boise is back in town?

10. How does Silas react to seeing Lydia's injuries after she steps on the broken glass?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

At the end of the novel, both Lydia and Michael have left their hometown to relocate from their memories of Du Boise. Explain why each of these characters has chosen a life on the run, rather than a settled life. Then, explain what measures each character takes to ensure that Silas will never be able to find them.

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the second half of the text, Mikey is performing a "separation" of his own, getting rid of all the men he believes deserve to die in South Africa. Explain what criteria Mikey uses in selecting his murder victims, and then explain how each of the murders shapes Mikey as he matures into manhood.

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, Silas struggles to reconnect to his wife, Lydia, but finds himself unable, or unwilling, to reach her. Give two examples of times in the novel when Silas tries to reach out to his wife but fails. Then, briefly explain why each of his attempts fails. What hidden demons continue to haunt Silas in his marriage?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 961 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample