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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 does Margaret learn about Wanda on the night of the play's opening?

2. Who is weeping in the prologue?

3. What did Margaret call her father?

4. Where does Stephen draw a picture of Margaret in chapter 5?

5. Who was the one person Margaret felt was not happy in her household when she was a child?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is significant about the day Margaret's mother died? What happens to Margaret in the aftermath of her mother's death?

2. Who does Wanda see on the street in front of a vintage record store? What happens after she sees this person?

3. What happened to Wanda's parents that caused her to live with her aunt and uncle?

4. Why does Margaret insist on allow Wanda to use her car? Why does Wanda hesitate?

5. Why does the author introduce a dream that both Wanda and Margaret are having in chapter 7?

6. What brought Wanda to Seattle? Why?

7. What was life like for Wanda when she lived with the Schultz family?

8. Why do Margaret and Wanda begin breaking plates in chapter 13? What is the purpose?

9. What causes the decline of Stephen and Margaret's marriage?

10. What does Margaret think she hears Wanda doing in the bathroom during their initial interview? Why does Wanda do this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Margaret begin searching for the owner of the single tea cup her father stole from a Jewish child? How does Margaret find out the name of the owner? How does Margaret go about contacting the true owner? What does she learn about the owner? Who is the owner? How does this action bring Michael to Margaret's house? When does Wanda learn that Michael is her father? How does Michael learn the truth? How do they react to one another?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following in detail, using quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:

1) Themes that appear in the plot, including friendship, grief, mortality, and family.

2) Character relationships, including an analysis of how they impact character motivation, how they change with time, and how characters change with changing relationships.

3) The use of the authorial voice in the narration of the novel, as well as the chosen point of view of the novel.

Essay Topic 3

How does Margaret meet Gus McPherson? What role does Gus play in Margaret's life? What gift does Margaret make to Wanda in chapter 12? What does this say about their changing relationship? Why does Margaret suddenly begin making friends and coming out of her reclusive lifestyle when she learns she is dying? What does this say about Margaret's character? Do Margaret's new friends know about her illness? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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