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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. How are Joan and her fictional character similar?

2. Where has Joan met Marlene before?

3. What flower is the man in the ravine holding?

4. How does Joan view the two types of people in life?

5. What does Joan's husband Arthur not like about Joan's clothing choices?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What role does Marlene Pugh reappearance in Joan's life play?

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

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

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

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

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

8. How does Arthur make it easy for Joan to continue to lie to him?

9. Describe Leda Sprott's appearance and her significance at Joan's wedding.

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

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

Joan writes romance novels and prefers happy endings, but is dishonest and secretive in her own love life. Discuss how Joan's lies and secrets make positive, loving relationships impossible.

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of the title Lady Oracle? Provide examples from the text that show how the idea of an oracle is presented and its relevance to Joan and her journey of self-acceptance.

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This section contains 966 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample