View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 9 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Seraphina's son's name?

2. How did Seraphina feel when she became a licensed women?

3. How do the women who visit Hadley feel about their lot as unlicensed women?

4. Why are Seraphina and her husband able to afford two nannies?

5. What is the name of the baby Hadley borrows from the library?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does borrowing a baby make Hadley feel about her lot in life?

2. What does one of the woman who comes to Hadley's apartment say to Hadley when she says that borrowing a baby is not a crime?

3. How does Seraphina feel about her life as a mother?

4. Why does Hadley consider running away with Gemma when she takes her from the library?

5. Why do the women who come to Hadley's apartment say they think she is one of them?

6. Who comes to Hadley's apartment after she arrives with Gemma and where are they from?

7. Describe Hadley's experience at the library when she looks for a baby to borrow.

8. How does Seraphina discover her nannies are gone and how does she react?

9. How does Paul behave around Seraphina?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing the symbolic significance Hadley's family's religion has on the story. Why is this important and how does it develop the themes of the story? What would be different if his family were not religious or practiced a different religion? Use examples from the text to support your viewpoint.

.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing Roxane Gay's decision to tell the story using third person point-of-view. How does this impact the reader's understanding of the story's events? Is this effective? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay comparing and contrasting Hadley and Seraphina in "Graceful Burdens." What details help develop their character and what do these details tell you about them? What is their background? How do they feel about their current reality? In what ways are they similar or different? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 626 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample