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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 on Ellen's arm draws attention from her teachers?

2. When Ellen returns to school after the funeral, what does one teacher bluntly ask her?

3. What item spills out of Ellen's mother's purse?

4. What is the pony's name that Ellen wants to ride?

5. How does Ellen feel about her aunt?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Ellen feel that her relatives are phonies?

2. Why does Ellen have conflicting views about Starletta's family?

3. In what way does Ellen use reading?

4. In what ways does Ellen justify not telling anyone about the circumstances of her mother's death?

5. How is Ellen's grandmother's removal of Ellen's mother's clothes symbolic to the story?

6. How is the pony's name, Dolphin, a symbol of freedom to Ellen?

7. How is Ellen wearing her mother's clothes symbolic to the story?

8. In what ways does the author indicate that Ellen's father killed Ellen's mother?

9. What gifts does Ellen buy herself for Christmas?

10. Up to Chapter 7, what are some of the ways Ellen covers up for her father?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

An underlining theme throughout the novel was death. Several people in Ellen's life died, and metaphorically Ellen herself died and had a rebirth. Using details from the text describe how the topic of death was a central theme throughout the novel.

Essay Topic 2

The author's use of foreshadowing and flashbacks was prevalent throughout the novel. List 3-5 examples of the author's use of these literary elements and how they were effectively used by the author.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the elements of Ellen's personality. How does Ellen exhibit a dualism in her personality?

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