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. How long is Portia supposed to stay with Anna and Thomas?

2. Who is Portia?

3. How did Major Brutt get to know Robert Pidgeon?

4. What happened to Eddie soon after he met Anna?

5. Where does Daphne work?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who are Daphne and Dickie?

2. What happens when Portia comes home early unexpectedly?

3. What happens when Anna and Thomas come home from their trip?

4. What does Dickie tell Portia before she leaves Waikiki?

5. How does Major Brutt feel about Anna and Thomas's marriage?

6. How does Matchett feel about Mrs. Quayne?

7. Why is Anna avoiding going home?

8. What attracted Thomas most to Anna?

9. How does Thomas react to Portia visiting him in his study?

10. What is the conversation that Portia has with Thomas in chapter 9?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Bowen utilizes foreshadowing throughout the novel; for example, in the warnings Portia received from others regarding her relationship with Eddie. How effective is Bowen's use of foreshadowing? Are there any other literary devices that would have been as effective in these situations? If so, what are they? Was the foreshadowing too obvious, or was it an effective tool for storytelling? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Major Brutt was shocked by the idea that Anna had married Thomas, because he could only remember her as a lover to Robert Pidgeon. Compare and contrast the characters of these two men. Who seems like a better fit for Anna? Do you think she would have been happier, had she married Robert instead of Thomas? What are the differences between these two men? Are there any similarities? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Bowen ends the novel with a cliffhanger; what will happen to Portia, or any of the other characters never is really established. Why do you think Bowen chose to do so? How satisfying is this ending to the reader? Why? Would you have liked to see a stronger resolution? Why or why not? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 754 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample