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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 Hanna often do with a flower she steals here and there?
2. Why does the mother go there?
3. What does Hanna's father do with Oma?
4. What is said Trudi's mother did to Trudi as a child?
5. How does the action Siegfried take because of his dream get out of hand?
Short Essay Questions
1. How does Hanna's mother get Hanna involved in swimming?
2. How is Oma healed of the second blood clot?
3. Why does Oma go back to the hospital one day?
4. Describe Hanna's father.
5. Who is Klara Blocker?
6. What happens to Hanna's paternal grandmother and how does she cope?
7. What is rumored about the child of the local midwife?
8. How does Siegfried ultimately die?
9. What does Hanna learn from Trudi about her father?
10. What do the townspeople say is the source of Trudi's dwarfism?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
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 2
Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:
1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Ursula Hegi.
2. What in Hegi's background may have helped her in writing Floating in My Mother's Palm? What may have influenced the way she depicts various characters and scenes?
3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.
Essay Topic 3
Rolf confronts Hanna about the joke. Hanna becomes angry and tells him that his father abandoned him because he did not want him. Rolf has never been told the truth about his father, therefore he is deeply upset by Hanna's words. When Rolf does not return home that night, a search is organized. The following morning Hanna finds Rolf near the river. Hanna tells him all she knows about his American soldier father. Rolf sends Hanna to learn more. Finally Rolf agrees to go home.
1. From the information given on Hanna's pranks, do you think she carried pranks too far? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.
2. Do you think Hanna was wrong for telling Rolf about his father? Why or why not? Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.
3. Discuss the ways in which Rolf's knowledge of his father might change his life. Use examples from the text and your own life to support your answer.
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This section contains 1,081 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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