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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. Where does De Lisle work nights?

2. What bar does Melinda frequent with her lovers?

3. What is Vic's income from his family money?

4. What does Melinda often due to excess?

5. Who is Trixie's best friend?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Horace Meller tell Vic in Part II he is happy for Vic about?

2. How does Trixie generally react to Melinda's men she is having affairs with?

3. What had Vic hoped might change with his spreading a bad rumor about himself?

4. Who does most of the housework in the Van Allen household, and why?

5. How does Vic kill De Lisle?

6. How does Vic feel during the costume party in Part II?

7. What does Vic tell Ralph about his own past?

8. What does Vic do for a living?

9. What does Vic tell Mr. Nash in Part I that alarms Nash?

10. Who finds De Lisle's body and how does this person react?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Vic begin telling people he murdered McRae, and how does his decision to do so affect the course of the plot? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

How does Highsmith establish and maintain suspense throughout the novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 3

When and how does Highsmith reveal the true extent of Vic's capabilities and reactions to Melinda's infidelities? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

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