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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. Who does Alice refer to as the Bobs and Ricks?

2. What is true about Father's death?

3. How old is Alice when her father dies?

4. What does Walter do while listening to music?

5. Why does Aunt Frances say that Alice should call her rather than the nurses?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Walter like?

2. Is it good for Alice to spend time with Mother?

3. Explain the circumstances that lead to Alice becoming an orphan.

4. How would you describe Mother's relationships with men?

5. Is Alice destined to follow in Mother's footsteps?

6. Why does Alice call the San Mother's Florida?

7. How does Nonna feel about Mother?

8. What kind of a person is Arlette?

9. Why do you think Alice and her mother have the same name?

10. Why do you think Mother makes such extravagant gifts for her family at Christmas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Money is a constant theme in Florida. Answer the following questions regarding money.

1) Why is Alice so quick to pay her Walter to leave?

2) How would the story be different if Alice's family was poor instead of wealthy?

3) Would Aunt Frances and Uncle Billy still be as greedy if they did not have money?

Essay Topic 2

Much of Florida is illustrated through the power of contrast. Select two of the pairings below. Compare and contrast the people, places or events and discuss how the resulting contrasts are used to develop characters or plot lines:

Father and Walter.

The Big House and the San.

Mr. Early and Father.

Life before Father's death and life after Father's Death.

Florida and New York, or Florida and Tuscon.

Aunt Frances and Mother.

Aunt Frances and the Unreliables.

Essay Topic 3

Many characters in the story struggle to be treated with dignity and respect and to treat themselves with self-respect. Answer the following questions with that fact in mind.

1) Which characters in the novel does Alice treat with the greatest and least amount of respect?

2) Which characters in the novel have the most and least self-respect?

3) What factors seem to indicate whether a character is treated with respect or not? Consider things like age, money, treatment of others, etc.

(see the answer keys)

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