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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. Why does Michael stop sending postcards to Maureen to let her know where he was in chapter 19?

2. What type of mood does Irma promise to create at dinner for Striker in chapter 21?

3. Who sends Striker to Irma's apartment in chapter 21 after she fails to show up at the bowling alley on her usual day?

4. What does Striker call Irma in the privacy of his own mind in chapter 22?

5. Who does Michael take Gina to meet early in their relationship?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the beginning of Part Two, how does the narration change?

2. Who is M.J. Striker and why has he come to work at the Aloha Lanes bowling alley in chapter 20?

3. What symbolic item is mentioned in chapter 18 that is related to a similar item symbolically important to Wanda Schultz?

4. Why is Michael forced to quit college after marrying Gina?

5. What character seems to tell Striker how he can pull Irma out of her depression in chapter 21?

6. How does Striker celebrate Easter in chapter 22?

7. Why does Gina become pregnant soon after marrying Michael even though she has told him she does not wish to have children?

8. Why does Michael leave his daughter and go in search of his missing wife in chapter 19?

9. What story does Irma Kosminsky tell Striker over dinner in chapter 21?

10. What happens soon after the dinner Striker shares with Irma and her husband, Sammy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What happened to Margaret's mother? When did she die? Why does Margaret begin to see her mother? What role did her mother play in Margaret's life when she was a child? Now, as Margaret is an adult? What does it say about Margaret's health that she is seeing dead people? What does it say about her state of mind? Why does Margaret see her mother? Why does she not see her father or others who have died in her life?

Essay Topic 2

How did Margaret's son die? How did this death impact Margaret's life? Why did she become a recluse? Why does Margaret treat the objects in her home as though they are alive and a part of her family? Where did some of these objects come from? How does this knowledge affect Margaret? What does Margaret eventually do with these items? How does this inspire Wanda to become a collage artist? How does this change Margaret and Wanda's lives?

Essay Topic 3

Who is Detective Tink Lorenzini? Why does Wanda insist on taking on this persona? For what purpose? Who is Troy? How does Troy react to Wanda's desire to find Peter? Why does Wanda rush across the street in chapter 16? Who did she think she saw? Who did she really see? What happens to Wanda? Why does she refuse to speak after her recovery has begun? What does this say about Wanda's state of mind? How does this impact the people around her?

(see the answer keys)

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