View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What lay in the dashboard locker below the instrument panel of the Citroen Pallas saloon car?

2. According to Ballard, what left an "archipelago of pockmarks" across Vaughan's neck?

3. Ballard and Vaughan listen to police and _______ broadcasts as they search for Seagrave, who has gone missing.

4. What kind of alcohol does Ballard buy from the bar?

5. According to Ballard, if the famous actress Vaughan obsessed over never died in a car-crash, what had Vaughan created instead?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Catherine's fantasies about Vaughan, how they pertain to Ballard, and their impact on her and Ballard's marriage.

2. What is the purpose of Vaughan's questionnaire?

3. What is Ballard's response to Catherine sleeping with Vaughan?

4. Who are the spectators at the accident site involving the taxi and limo and what role does the scene have in the larger story?

5. What type of questions from Vaughan's questionnaire is Ballard specifically drawn to?

6. How does Vaughan pose the prostitutes for his photographs and why?

7. What does Ballard think of when he introduces Catherine to Vaughan and why is it relevant?

8. Why is Seagrave's disappearance important to the plot?

9. How do the prostitutes Vaughan picks up begin to change in appearance and why is it significant?

10. Why does J.G. Ballard portray Vaughan's self-stimulation in the vehicle where a dentist recently died?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the role of fame in the novel?

1) How does Vaughan use his celebrity status in the novel?

2) Why is Vaughan and Seagrave obsessed with famous figures?

3) What is the connection between immortality and fame?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the novel, sexuality is used as a means of both coercion and empowerment. Give two to three examples to support your statements.

1) Discuss the overall theme of sexuality as it pertains to identity in the novel.

2) Choose one character and discuss her/his sexuality as it evolves in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

The influence of J.G. Ballard as an avant-garde writer is well-documented. Discuss his influence within and outside of the literary community. Use secondary sources to help support your essay response.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 741 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample