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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 reason does a character have for going through a random transformation?

2. How can changes in people be perceived by others?

3. What will the writer have with more important characters and changes?

4. What exists to provide justification for unexplained changes?

5. What is an omniscient narrator?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the difference between a presentation and a representation perspective?

2. How does the topic of transformations lead the author to an important reason that fiction exists?

3. What is comedy usually the result of, and what is humor based on?

4. What are the most common tenses used in narration and how does the author describe the risks involved with using different ones?

5. What are some of the limitations and advantages of the first person narrative?

6. What is the difference between an omniscient narrator and a viewpoint narrator?

7. How is the illusion of truth created?

8. What are some of the ways a writer can develop a story around characters that do not change?

9. In Chapter 18, how does the author describe the potential of a writer in finding characters?

10. How can a writer explore a character's past?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Although the sources of inspiration are unlimited, analyze the following three places that a writer can find ideas for new characters.

1) Describe all of the people, places, and events in a person's life that can provide ideas for characters.

2) Explain how writers can find new characters within themselves and how those characters can be applied to fiction.

3) Describe the process for finding new characters in the story itself as well as the past experiences of existing characters.

Essay Topic 2

The past can be used as the justification for future events that take place in a fictional story.

1) Describe 3 different techniques a writer can use to explore the past in fiction.

2) Define justification, why it is important, the effect it has on the characters, and how much justification is necessary in a story.

Essay Topic 3

Comedy contains various elements that work together to provide humor in sometimes unexpected situations.

1) Explain how a comedy is normally based on a form of pain or suffering.

2) Describe the way comedic characters and events are derived from a sense of truth and why.

3) Analyze the different techniques used to interject humor into a story, the way they are used, and at least 3 examples of them.

4) Describe what controlled disbelief is, which characters are the most likely to use it, and why.

(see the answer keys)

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