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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 does the mother ask about the baby?

2. What is Klara watching when she remembers the end of the war?

3. What does Hanna learn from Trudi?

4. What does Hanna's paternal grandmother have only one leg?

5. What happens several weeks later after Matthias stops doing what Hanna noticed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is wrong with Renate's leg and why and how does Hanna try to fix it?

2. How does Hanna's mother get Hanna involved in swimming?

3. How is Trudi treated as a child?

4. Describe Hanna's father.

5. Who is Siegfried Tegern and what does he dream?

6. What do many people believe is the cause of Trudi becoming an old maid?

7. Describe Trudi Montag.

8. Describe Matthias Berger.

9. Who is Klara Blocker?

10. How does Siegfried ultimately die?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Hanna and Renate. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of the architect and Manfred's father. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in Floating in My Mother's Palm help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of Floating in My Mother's Palm and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why Floating in My Mother's Palm is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think Floating in My Mother's Palm is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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