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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 best describes Mother's life in the Mother-Arlette section of Part One?

2. What does Alice promise herself in Part One, when she is 12?

3. How do the members of Mother's family react to the gifts she gives them at Christmas?

4. What does Uncle Billy do to some of Nonna's valuable pictures?

5. What happens to Father when Alice is five?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Alice compare Walter and Father?

2. How is Arthur's presence during Mother's trip to the San in Part One: Mother-Arthur important?

3. How does Alice feel about going back to live with Mother after she is institutionalized and Alice moves in with Aunt Frances and Uncle Billy?

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

5. What is Walter like?

6. Why do Aunt Frances and Arlette take charge of unpacking Mother's things?

7. Does Alice like living in Tuscon?

8. Describe Mother's unusual behavior in the first chapter of Florida.

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

10. What do you think Alice's family was like before her father's death, based on information in the first chapter of the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Alice has multiple parental figures, good and bad, in Florida. Answer the following questions using examples from the story.

Who is a better mother: Mother or Nonna?

Who is a better father figure for Alice: Mr. Early or Arthur?

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

Art is used many times in the novel, for a variety of purposes. For each instance listed below, explain it's significance to the novel and analyze the purpose the author intended.

Mother's straw box creations.

Father's poetry.

Uncle Billy's collections.

Alice's love of literature.

Mr. Early's love of poetry.

Nonna's valuable artwork.

(see the answer keys)

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