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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. Who is the main character in the book?

2. What kind of novels does Joan write?

3. In Chapter 9, what does Joan believe she excelled at in high school?

4. Who does Joan want to see to discover more about how her mother died?

5. How does Arthur respond to Joan's bad cooking?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is discovering that Paul writes romance novels valuable to Joan's life?

2. Explain why Joan does not tell her husband Arthur that she writes Costume Gothic novels.

3. Why is Joan's childhood ballet recital such a traumatic experience for her?

4. How does Joan allow Paul to treat her?

5. Describe Joan's search for a fresh approach to her writing.

6. Who does Leda Sprott see standing behind Joan at the Spiritualists' meeting?

7. How does Joan begin to take on a new identity after leaving home?

8. What is the significance of Joan seeing her mother's astral body?

9. How is Joan's relationship with Arthur based on lies?

10. Why do the other girls treat Joan badly as they walk home from Brownies every Tuesday?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Joan's relationship with Arthur to the one she has with Royal Porcupine. Is one relationship better for Joan than the other? Provide specific examples from the text to support your responses.

Essay Topic 2

Why can't Joan confront Marlene about their past encounters? Why does she hide in the ladies' room? Are there other examples in the novel where Joan responds in a similar manner? What does this suggest about Joan's character?

Essay Topic 3

As Joan sheds pounds, she makes the choice to become a new person to match her new image and calls herself Louisa K. Delacourt. Discuss the importance of this decision to Joan's future. Why is it a relief to her to be someone else?

(see the answer keys)

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