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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 did Elaine paint artworks of her mother after she died?

2. What does Cordelia do after Elaine is sick from being in the cold water?

3. What do the girls put over Elaine?

4. What did Jon's ex-girlfriend throw at him and Elaine?

5. Where does Mrs. Smeath ask Elaine to go with her family?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Elaine think of killing herself?

2. How does Elaine feel about the woman who models for her first nude female drawing?

3. How does Elaine feel when she sees her old school doesn't exist anymore?

4. What is the result of Elaine's mother's miscarriage?

5. In the present time what does Elaine think of Toronto?

6. How does Elaine behave during the interview?

7. How does Elaine's mother greet her after she comes out of the cold water?

8. How and why do Elaine's feelings for Mrs. Smeath change?

9. While Elaine is dating both Josef and Jon, how does she feel about the two men?

10. What does Elaine remember about her birthday after the incident with the hole?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the use of point of view in the book.

1) Why is this book told in the first person, from Elaine's point of view? How would it be different if it were told by a different narrator?

2) Does Elaine provide an accurate account of the world around her? How is her view of the world biased or flawed?

3) What would the reader gain from understanding Cordelia's perspective, or the perspective of another character?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the significance of Elaine's art retrospective.

1) How does the art retrospective make Elaine look back on her life? How is her artwork related to the progression of her life?

2) How does Elaine feel about the art retrospective, and why does she feel this way? How does she feel about her paintings and about her career as an artist?

3) Why does Elaine want her pictures presented chronologically?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the portrayal of men in the book.

1) How are Elaine's lovers, Josef, Jon, and Ben, portrayed in the book? What is Elaine's attitude toward her lovers?

2) How do Elaine's relationships with men differ from her relationships with women? Why is Elaine more comfortable with men than with women?

3) How is Elaine's father portrayed in the book? How is her brother portrayed? How do her relationships with her father and brother affect her relationships with other men?

(see the answer keys)

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