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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 is it that bothers Richard about Philip Lentz's deception?

2. Who is Diana?

3. To what do Richard's attempts at conversation lead him?

4. Why does C. not join Richard in his plans?

5. On what is Philip Lentz basing his project?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Helen start to want to see images of?

2. How does Taylor's death affect Richard and C.'s relationship?

3. What story does Harold Plover tell Richard about his daughters' language acquisition?

4. What work do Richard and Lentz begin together?

5. Who is C.? Describe Richard's relationship with her.

6. How do Richard and Lentz differ in their approaches to the project?

7. Who is the main character, and what is he doing as the book begins?

8. What does Richard remember about meeting C., in section II?

9. What were Richard and C.'s thoughts about having children?

10. What leads Helen to say that she does not "want to play anymore"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How are Richard's and Helen's experiences parallel, insofar as Richard struggled with Dutch, and struggled to find a language he and C. could speak together in their relationship, and Helen struggles to generate analysis of literature? How are they similar? How are they different?

Essay Topic 2

Richard and Helen are both creatures (in addition to the author) who live by making things with words. What are the advantages of creating worlds with words, and what are the disadvantages?

Essay Topic 3

Does Lentz become a replacement for C.? How does Lentz call out the same struggles and aspects of Richard's personality that had been called out in Richard's relationship with C.? Alternatively, does Helen become a replacement for C. and how does "she" call out the same struggles Richard had been engaged in with C.?

(see the answer keys)

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