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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 narrator's mother realize?

2. What does Hanna think her mother and father do for each other?

3. With whom does Klara live?

4. What does Hanna learn from Trudi?

5. What illness does Renate suffer as a child?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the narrator of these stories.

2. What does Hanna learn from Trudi about her father?

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

4. How is Trudi treated as a child?

5. What is rumored about the child of the local midwife?

6. What is Hanna's mother told by the nuns when she goes to the convent, and what is the mother's response?

7. Who is Klara Blocker?

8. What do the townspeople thing about Hanna's mother and how do they respond to her paintings?

9. Why does Oma go back to the hospital one day?

10. What does Hanna notice about Matthias after he receives a regular visitor and what does she say to Matthias about her observation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in Floating in My Mother's Palm. Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of love in Floating in My Mother's Palm. Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of death in Floating in My Mother's Palm.

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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