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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. Who does Walter place a phone call to?

2. What does Walter do at 4:00 on the day of Mr. Nirdlinger's scheduled departure?

3. Why does Walter need a harness?

4. What does Walter tell Phyllis?

5. Who does Walter learn has called him at the office?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Walter's response to Phyllis' request for an accident policty on her husband?

2. What are the circumstances leading up to Walter and Phyllis agreeing to kill Mr. Nirdlinger?

3. What does Walter do when he returns home after the murder?

4. Who is Keyes?

5. What favor does Lola ask of Walter on behalf of her boyfriend?

6. What do Walter and Phyllis do with Mr. Nirdlinger's body?

7. What precipitates Walter's meeting Phyllis Nirdlinger?

8. What is Walter's state of mind immediately after the murder and what mistake does he preempt?

9. What is the happy accident that befalls Mr. Nirdlinger?

10. What metaphor does Phyllis use to describe herself?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Keyes is obviously the voice of reason throughout the story. Does the author create him as a sympathetic character, or is he always an irritant to both the reader and the characters in the story? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Why does it never occur to Walter that Phyllis is thinking of a way to kill him just as he is thinking of killing her? What is it about Walter's personality that allows for this flawed lack of judgment? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Describe Keyes. What is his role in Walter's life? What is his role in the book overall?

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