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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. How was Achille related to Flaubert?

2. When one of Flaubert's doctors called him "an hysterical old woman," what was his reaction?

3. What does Louise Colet say she will take as a compliment?

4. What monumental decision did Geoffrey make about Ellen?

5. Which of the following authors lived in Normandy?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Geoffrey maintain that he killed his wife?

2. In what way was Flaubert unkind to Louise?

3. Describe three life plans Flaubert dreamed of.

4. Who are three authors who are given entries in Braithwaite's dictionary?

5. What are three entries in Braithwaite's dictionary do you think were included only for the sake of filling that letter's spot?

6. What does Geoffrey say is the difference between what people want to know about lovers and what they want to know about authors?

7. What does Geoffrey say about the death of writers?

8. Why did Flaubert hate railroads?

9. What did Geoffrey say about Ellen's lies?

10. Why does Louise Colet say she didn't need Flaubert in her life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Geoffrey defends Flaubert throughout the book. Given what you have learned about Flaubert, on what points do you think Flaubert deserves to be defended and on what points do you feel he rightly deserves the criticism he was given?

Essay Topic 2

Geoffrey reveals Ellen's story in full by the end of the book

1) Discuss their relationship, particularly touching on Geoffrey's attitude on Ellen's infidelity and on Ellen's treatment of Geoffrey.

2) Discuss Geoffrey's involvement on his wife's death and comment on his feelings of guilt.

Essay Topic 3

Geoffrey dislikes critics; he points out the absurdity of the critic who found discrepancies in Flaubert's references to the color of Madame Bovary's eyes. He says that those kinds of discrepancies are internal problems, unlike external problems that are caused by a lack of research (giving the wrong date for a war in a novel, for example). Either defend Geoffrey's viewpoint or make an argument against it.

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This section contains 625 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample