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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 prison, Tabatha sketched ______________ to show her life story.

2. Who was Nancy's husband?

3. How old was Wally when he got his first teaching job?

4. What was Tabatha's hairstyle when she went to prison?

5. Where did Nancy's father take her at the beginning of her story?

Short Essay Questions

1. What were some of the inconsistencies in Tabatha Rowley's life as she was growing up?

2. Which animals from a classic movie haunted Nancy Birkla's childhood?

3. Who was Aldo and what influence did he have on Nancy's life?

4. What was the premise of Nancy Whitely's story, "The True Face of Earth"?

5. Nancy Whiteley also wrote the story, "Orbiting Izzy". What was the premise of this story?

6. How did Nancy view "The Wizard of Oz" once she worked through some psychological issues?

7. What was Wally's reasoning for not being able to refuse Marge Cohen's call to come to York Correctional Institution?

8. What did Nancy feel she had to do to keep her boyfriend?

9. What was Wally's hope for the readers who read the women's stories?

10. What were the circumstances of Nancy's arrest and where did she go after her parents bailed her out?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the role of the family in the women's stories. What does it mean for some of the characters? How does the family evolve in its support of each other? How are some of the families fractured? Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Some of the women masterfully wove dramatic devices into their stories. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

Essay Topic 3

Several of the women's stories are classic stories of loss and renewal. What does that classification entail? Why do some of the stories fit into this category? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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