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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 do Charles and Isobel find when they go into the woods to look for their parents?

2. What does Charles say they must do?

3. What does Charlotte tell the children about their father?

4. How many photographs do Isobel and Charles have of their mother?

5. For what do the Baxters make excuses?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Isobel say are Charles' hobbies, and how does he relate one of his hobbies to his mother?

2. Where is Audrey's mother and how has her mother impacted Audrey and Charles' life?

3. How do Charlotte and Vinny treat Eliza and what is her response?

4. What does Isobel "see" in the time wrap she experiences in this chapter?

5. Where does Malcolm take Isobel, and what happens there?

6. What gets Debbie's party off to a bad start?

7. What does Isobel, the narrator at the beginning of the novel, discuss in the first part of the novel?

8. How does Isobel come to find a single, unusual shoe in Vinny's closet and what is Vinny's reaction?

9. What leads to Isobel's house being infested with fleas?

10. What does Isobel think she sees Mr. Rice doing and what is the outcome?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Isobel from the beginning of the book to who she is at the end of the book. How are they similar? How are they different? Which "character" do you like more? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Isobel and Charles. How do they seem different? How are they alike? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in "Human Croquet" help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Often titles reveal much about one or more aspects of a novel. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think is the purpose of a title? How closely related to a major theme(s) of a book do you think a title should be? Or should it be?

2. The phrase "Human Croquet" appears several times in the book. Discuss that theme and how it is related to the title.

3. If you were the writer of "Human Croquet" and your editor says the title must be changed, what would you choose? Why?

4. How do you feel when you have finished reading a book, and you still do not understand the meaning of the title in relation to the book?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast Isobel's and Charles' reaction to the disappearance of their mother. How do you think you would have reacted in a similar situation? Explain.

2. Discuss how you would have handled things were you in Isobel at Hilary's party. Do you think she handles the party better or worse than (or about the same) as you? Would you have confided in your someone about the party? Why or why not?

3. Do you think Isobel and Charles should have been taken to a therapist? Why? What do you think the therapists would have said to each of them?

(see the answer keys)

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