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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 country is James stationed in during the war?

2. Why does Mercedes feel guilty about Frances's lot in life?

3. In what room of the house did Mumma die?

4. Which family member found Materia after her apparent suicide?

5. What is the name of the school Kathleen was enrolled in as a child?

Short Essay Questions

1. What motivates James to join the army?

2. Why does Materia feel guilty about her expectations for James's future in the army?

3. What does Mercedes say one could use as rosary beads in case a proper rosary wasn't available?

4. What is the result of Kathleen's photo shoot in the days after her first singing recital?

5. What deal does Materia make with "the demon" to protect her second born daughter Mercedes?

6. How does Kathleen treat her younger sisters when no one else is around?

7. What is James's reaction to the news that his wife Materia is dead?

8. What wakes Mercedes up in the middle of the night on the evening before Materia's death?

9. What talent does Kathleen show as a baby, and what is James's reaction to this talent?

10. What is the last thing Kathleen sees before she dies?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One major theme of the novel is the parallels between the daughters' sexual awakenings. Choose two of the Piper daughters and describe their sexual awakenings. How old were they when they had their sexual awakenings? Did these experiences have a positive or negative effect on their lives? How did these awakenings come about? Then, explain what message you think MacDonald is sending to the reader about the sexual awakening of young girls. Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Describe Frances's relationship with her Uncle Jameel and cousin Boutros. How do each of these men feel about Frances? In what ways does Uncle Jameel's treatment of Frances parallel James's treatment of Frances? How do each of these men affect Frances's sexual awakening? Which man do you think has a larger impact on Frances's sexuality? Why? Finally, describe Boutros's relationship with Frances. In what ways is his treatment of Frances different than anyone else's? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the piano introduced in the first few chapters of the novel. Why was this object so important to James, and what did it symbolize in his life? Describe how the piano came from ruins in James's childhood home to ruins in Materia's married home. What effect did the piano have on Materia as a character and on her marriage to James? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

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