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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 running list has Shannon's parents kept up throughout Christmas morning?

2. How do Shannon's parents interpret the call?

3. What is the first item Shannon takes out of her stocking?

4. Whom does Brandy Alexander owe her entire persona?

5. Who is the realtor of the next house Brandy, Shannon, and Manus visit?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Shannon leave for the unconscious Brandy?

2. What is Seth Thomas's true identity?

3. From whom did Shane (Brandy) get the throat infection that leads him to be kicked out of the house?

4. What procedure does Brandy encourage Shannon to undergo?

5. What do Shannon's parents buy her for Christmas?

6. Why is Shannon shocked to see the picture on the Rhea sister's stereo?

7. What surrounds Manus in the trunk of his car?

8. Why does Shannon burn Evie's house down?

9. What is the truth about both Shane's and Shannon's accidents?

10. If she cannot be beautiful, what does Shannon say she wants to be?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Do a character study of Evie Cottrell. What role does she play in the novel? How does her relationships with the other characters further the plot? How does her character contribute to the central themes of the novel? Is she a static character or does she undergo changes throughout the text? Explore Evie's idea of beautiful people together being less than the sum of their parts. How does this idea contribute to the novel? Is Shannon changed by this theory? Be sure to use examples from the text in your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Shannon and Brandy's parents are strange people. How do they treat Shannon and Brandy as children? How do Shannon and Brandy remember their childhood? Why are their parents so obsessed with Shane after his death? How does their behavior alienate Shannon? Are their parents an examples of how we are all products of products of products? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

One of the central themes of the novel is that some people cannot accept themselves. Is this a bad thing in the novel? Are the people who accept themselves missing something in life, as Brandy theorizes? Has Brandy created a problem where one never existed? Be sure to use textual examples and present a well-organized argument.

(see the answer keys)

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