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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. What adjective does Cece use to describe how first grade feels to her "at first" (47)?

2. What type of house do Cece and her family leave behind when they move to a new place?

3. When Cece first meets Laura, what does Laura say about Cece's name?

4. When Laura gets Cece to march around the table with Laura's little sister Lucy, what injury ends up happening?

5. After "three months of freedom" and "three months of bliss" (102), what grade does Cece enter?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the reader's earliest clues that Cece's friendship with Laura may not be a good match?

2. What signs lead Cece to eventually realize that she has a hearing impairment?

3. What happens to cause Cece to stop having fun at Ginny's sleepover party?

4. Cece Bell begins the narrative by stating, "I was a regular little kid" (1). What examples does she provide for her conclusion?

5. Though Cece only briefly attends a school for children with hearing impairments, she learns a lot. How does the author use illustrations to augment the reader's understanding of the lessons Cece learns?

6. What are the visual signatures that Cece Bell uses to depict the imagined activities of Cece's alter ego?

7. Discuss how the theme of appearance versus reality is depicted in the scene when the kids in Cece's new neighborhood turn the radio louder for her.

8. Discuss how and when Bell makes it clear that the novel has serious themes, despite its status as a graphic novel.

9. What is the significance of Cece's experiences in the Girl Scouts?

10. When Cece says that she makes "many discoveries about lip-reading" (31), what are three of the seven discoveries she lists?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write a critical essay about Cece Bell's graphic novel memoir El Deafo while using the critical power theory lens of feminist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the novel's treatment of gender roles, female empowerment, misogyny's role within society, or any other issues related to feminist theory that can be found in the book.

Essay Topic 2

How is the topic of compassion treated within Cece Bell's graphic novel memoir El Deafo and how does its treatment relate to the book's depicted messages?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's messages about guilt and responsibility within Cece Bell's graphic novel memoir El Deafo.

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