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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. Why does Hanna take holy water to Renate?

2. What does Klara vow to do?

3. What does the mother trust over the next three days?

4. Upon what does Hanna's father insist?

5. What do people in the town think of Hanna's mother?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the townspeople say is the source of Trudi's dwarfism?

2. What does Siegfried do as a result of the dream and why does he do so?

3. How did Trudi's mother dropping her supposedly affect her?

4. How is Trudi treated as a child?

5. Who is Klara Blocker?

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

7. Describe Hanna's father.

8. What is the problem with the narrator's mother in White Lilacs and what does she do?

9. Describe Matthias Berger.

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in Floating in My Mother's Palm. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Hegi chooses the symbols she does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Hegi chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Hegi's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Hegi use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 2

Characters are an important part of what makes Floating in My Mother's Palm interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Thoroughly discuss and analyze Hanna. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

2. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Hanna's mother. What are her strengths? Her weaknesses? How does she contribute to the plot? Is she a sympathetic character? Is she ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

3. Thoroughly discuss and analyze the character of Hanna's father. What are his strengths? His weaknesses? How does he contribute to the plot? Is he a sympathetic character? Is he ever likable? Never likable? Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. Who is/are the protagonists of Floating in My Mother's Palm and why?

2. Who is/are the antagonists of the story and why?

3. Which 3 secondary characters have the greatest impact on the plot?

4. Are any of the characters dispensable and which ones? Why or why not?

5. Do you think this is a character-driven plot or an action-driven plot? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 986 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample