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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. Why does Joan begin to fear Paul?

2. What happens to Arthur when his political causes fail?

3. Where does Joan decide to move?

4. Who does Joan think of as she stands on the street outside the secondhand store in Rome?

5. Who does Joan like to go to the movies with?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Joan use her personal fears and concerns within the plot of the novel she is writing?

2. What are some similarities between Joan and her character Charlotte?

3. Why does Joan find it difficult to write when Arthur is depressed?

4. Why does Joan like to go to the movies with her Aunt Lou?

5. Why does Joan want to start a new life?

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

7. How does Joan change after becoming willing to publish Lady Oracle under her own name?

8. Why does Joan bury her clothes?

9. How does Joan's mother try to control Joan's weight?

10. Describe Joan Foster's state of mind in Chapter 1.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lady Oracle was published in 1976. How does Joan's life as a woman reflect the attitudes of that time? Compare her life as a wife to her life as a romance novelist. Which allows her to move beyond traditional roles? Do you think she is a character who is ahead of her time?

Essay Topic 2

What kind of person is Aunt Lou? How does she act as a positive role model for Joan? Does Joan ever act in ways that remind you of Aunt Lou? Provide specific examples from the text to support your responses.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the symbol of the Fat Lady in Joan's life. When does Joan daydream about the Fat Lady and what does it suggest about her emotional state at the time? Provide specific examples from the text to support your responses.

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