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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 book does Flora consult for advice?

2. What does Flora send to Judith?

3. Who promises to secure invitations to the Hawk-Monitor's

4. Who carries Flora and Elfine to the waiting car?

5. Where does Flora secure rooms for her and Elfine?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Harkaway tell Flora and what is her response?

2. How do you think Flora is feeling by the end of the wedding?

3. What convinces Flora that there is more to Seth than meets the eye and what does it seem she will do about him?

4. What do you think is the symbolic meaning of Flora having the sukebind removed?

5. How do you think the situation with Flora and the bull is symbolic of Flora with the lives of the Starkadders?

6. What does Dr. Mudel suggest to "fix" Judith Starkadder and what do you think is Judith's fixation that is causing problems?

7. Do you think Aunt Ada Doom is "doomed" to misery?

8. What do you think it says about Dick that he has decided to ask Elfine to marry him after she has made herself gorgeous?

9. What is Flora's next tidying-up project and how does she start it?

10. What does Aunt Ada Doom want on the morning of Elfine's wedding and what might her request symbolize?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Just as COLD COMFORT FARM is a parody of naturalistic literature, so Mr. "Mybug" (Meyerburg) is a parody of the smug literary writer. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss Mr. "Mybug's" character fully. Is he a likeable character? A sympathetic character? Does he change?

2. How do you think Meyerburg's discussion of sexuality in nature adds to the novel as a parody of naturalism in literature? Discuss specific examples.

3. What do you think of Mr. Meyerburg's thesis about Branwell Bronte? Do you think there is any validity to his assertions? Why or why not? (This may require a little research into the Bronte family).

4. Does Meyerburg's literary aspirations create more or less respect for him as a character? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 11, we first see the idea of the Pygmalion effect (or the Rosenthal effect). Discuss the following?

1. Who is Pygmalion in Greek Legend?

2. What is the Pygmalion effect (or sometimes called the Rosenthal effect)? What does this psychological phenomenon have to do with the Pygmalion of Greek myth?

3. Discuss Seth and Elfine and how the Pygmalion effect is relevant to their lives.

Essay Topic 3

If there is a manipulator, there has to be those who are manipulated. Discuss the following:

1. What are some of the ways Aunt Ada Doom manipulates her family? Give specific examples.

2. Why do you think the family allows themselves to be manipulated? Discuss several of the main characters specifically.

3. Why is Aunt Ada Doom not able to manipulate Flora Poste? Why does Aunt Ada Doom believe she cannot manipulate Flora?

(see the answer keys)

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