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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 is 'Blues in the Night'?

2. What point of view does the author use in chapter 18?

3. What book does Gina read obsessively during her pregnancy?

4. What mode of transportation does the character in chapter 18 use?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Striker see in the street in chapter 22? How does this make Striker feel?

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

3. How do the Hawaiian shirts becomes something of a symbol between Striker and Irma in chapter 21?

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

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

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

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

8. How does the author draw parallels between Wanda Schultz and M.J. Striker in part two?

9. How does Striker celebrate Easter in chapter 22?

10. What picture does Striker have of his wife and how does this connect him with Wanda Schultz?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

What does Margaret tell Wanda about the collection her father built during World War II? What proof does Margaret have to back up her story? How does Wanda react to this story? How does Margaret feel about this story? What is Margaret's initial reaction to these items? How does this story help Wanda make the decision to begin speaking again and to become a part of Margaret's household again? What does Margaret begin doing with the shards of the broken items? How does this change the lives of everyone in Margaret's house?

Essay Topic 3

Wanda was adopted by her aunt and uncle. Examine this family. How does Wanda fit in with this surrogate family? How many siblings are there? Why does one of the children resent Wanda? How does Wanda feel about that? How did losing her parents impact Wanda? How has Wanda's past shaped her present? Why is Wanda so obsessed with her ex-lover? Why does Wanda believe the unsigned postcard is from her ex-lover?

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