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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. In Chapter 11, what does the author state makes a character believable?

2. Which perspective is placed on the humor by a writer in a comedy?

3. How does a flashback affect the present narrative?

4. According to the author in the beginning of Chapter 12, what changes along with people?

5. What reason does a character have for going through a random transformation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the three levels in which a writer can penetrate the mind or experience of a viewpoint character?

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

3. What is the value of justification and how does a writer decide the amount to include in a story?

4. What are some of the consequences that are beyond a character's control and provoke a transformation?

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

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

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

8. In what ways can a character change him/herself?

9. What is the difference between first person narrative and third person narrative?

10. What is "controlled disbelief"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the main purpose of writing by answering the following:

1) What is the purpose of fiction and characters that are written effectively?

2) What is the expectations that a reader has of a fictional story and why?

Essay Topic 2

Define creative writing as an art form using examples of other mediums and how they differ from writing. Also, compare and contrast the storyteller and the writer, their responsibilities, and the ways they approach the story.

Essay Topic 3

The narrator is a crucial part of fiction because he/she is responsible for telling the story. 1) Describe a first person narrative, its advantages and disadvantages, and the techniques a writer uses when writing in first person.

2) Describe the advantages and disadvantages of a third person narrative, including the differences between the omniscient and viewpoint narrator.

3) Explain the importance of the narration in fiction and how it can be written to engage the reader fully.

(see the answer keys)

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