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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 William say Ted would not have taken Rosie back?

2. To whom has Roy grown close?

3. Where does Rosie take William?

4. Who does Rosie say is always the perfect gentleman?

5. What makes William weak in the knees?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Ted's response to the fact that Rosie leaves him.

2. Describe Isabel Trafford.

3. What are a couple things William discovers about Rosie?

4. Why does Ted buy the house he buys and what does Amy do despite Ted fighting her about it?

5. Describe the motel in which William takes a room when he comes to share memories about Ted with Roy and Amy .

6. How do Rosie and William begin a romantic involvement?

7. How does Ted meet and marry his second wife and what is Isabel Trafford's reaction?

8. Describe Rosie's home and Rose herself.

9. What does William discover about Ted and his parties and how is this demonstrated by Isabel Trafford?

10. Describe the scene where William is talking to Hillier about painting Rosie.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Roy never marries because he believes marriage interferes with art and "people do not want to be bothered with the wives of authors and painters." Discuss the following:

1. How do you think having a spouse can detract from one's art?

2. How do you think having a spouse can enhance one's art?

3. When looking at the ways a spouse can either enhance or detract from one's art, which matrimonial state do you think you would choose were you an artist? Why?

4. What other aspects of life can detract and/or enhance one's artistic output?

Essay Topic 2

Mrs. Greencourt holds a tea party attended by Mrs. Encombe, Blackstable's first "New Woman." She leads the discussion of novels that the Vicar advocates burning but some of the ladies admit enjoying. The group concludes that literature ought not deal with the vicious aspects of society. Discuss the following:

1. Describe and analyze the discussions at the tea party at Mrs. Greencourt. What is said about literature? Do you agree? Why do you think the participants say this? Do you think they agree or are afraid to be branded as coarse themselves?

2. Many of the ladies admit enjoying some of the novels that the Vicar advocates burning. Research and discuss how novels are evaluated in the mid to late Victorian era. How has the attitude towards novels changed today?

3. Discuss the idea that literature ought not deal with the vicious aspects of society. Do you agree? Why or why not? Do you think the literature of today has gone too far as to what novels will include? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 3

Titles often reveal much about one or more aspects of a novel. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think is the purpose of a title? How closely related to a major theme(s) of a book do you think a title should be? Or should it be?

2. The phrase "Cakes and Ale" appears in both Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and Aesop's Fable The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. Research these two references and discuss the connection they may have to Maugham's book.

3. If you were the writer of Cake and Ale and your editor says the title must be changed, what would you choose? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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