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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. After Eulayla's death, what words were scratched off of her gravestone by her fans?

2. How much money does Plum say is rumored to be within Verena's inherited fortune?

3. What word does Verena ask Plum to repeat until she feels comfortable uttering it?

4. What is NOT one piece of advice Plum gives LuAnne when she writes to Plum to tell her that her stepbrother is sneaking into her room at night?

5. How many fashion magazines are published by Austen Media?

Short Essay Questions

1. What act does Dr. Ormond Brown believe has precipitated the murders of Michael Simmons and Davis Green?

2. What allusion is being made within the line, "On top of a cabinet, a large orchid was trapped under a bell jar" (85) and what is the author's purpose for using it?

3. What question does Julia ask when she writes to Plum under the guise of being a teenage fan of Kitty's and what is the result of her question?

4. What information does Julia reveal about Leeta during her first meeting with Plum?

5. Describe Plum's job at Austen Media and how she comes to inhabit it.

6. How does the motif of the italicized word "Burst!" (42) coincide with the theme of self-hatred?

7. How does the author portray Eulayla Baptist's husband Allen as playing a major role in her torturous weight loss plan?

8. What are Plum's mother's feelings regarding Plum's job at Austen Media?

9. What significant event happens in the spring of Plum's junior year of high school?

10. Discuss the difference between Alicia and Plum at the start of the novel.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss how the themes of truth, lies, and hypocrisy are interwoven within the novel’s narrative. Be sure to include discussion of Plum's decision at the very end of the novel to resist her urge to tell Leeta that everything will be alright.

Essay Topic 2

What is the author's message regarding motherhood and what themes does the author employ in order to send these messages to the reader?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze Plum's feelings about finally letting go of Alicia and all that she represents. What message is the author sending about change and about one other theme of your choice?

(see the answer keys)

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