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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. Who does Hannah's father seek revenge on?

2. What skill does Lottie offer to teach Emily?

3. What is the name of the woman Jim is introduced to at the school he attends?

4. What is the color of the armchair that Ella sits in while babysitting?

5. What is Emily's last name?

Short Essay Questions

1. How is Hannah used as a tool between her parents?

2. How is anonymity a theme in "The Philosophy Lesson"?

3. What does Angelica believe her purpose in life is?

4. What are the effects of Beatrice's childhood on her adulthood?

5. What is the gift that Arthur sends to his grandmother? How does it affect her?

6. How does the title of the story, "The Liberation", tie in with Polly's story?

7. Why is the cemetery the best place for Emily to read?

8. What does Ella fear and how does she show it?

9. How does the title, "The End of a Career", relate to the story?

10. What are the spinster's final feelings about the "I love someone" written on the sidewalk?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role do women play in Stafford's stories? Choose at least four different women to include in your response.

Essay Topic 2

Explain how relevant the title of 3 different short stories is to the plot, characters, and setting of those stories.

Essay Topic 3

How does Stafford use names to embody the character's mannerisms, emotional state, or actions?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 640 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample