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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. Robert is said to have what profession in “The Wife’s Story”?

2. Who is coming to have tea with Mrs. Palmer’s daughter Susan in the beginning of “Anne”?

3. What was Mrs. Palmer’s husband’s name in “Anne”?

4. Mrs. Palmer remembers when she wakes up in “Anne” that George Forbes is now what?

5. Who is the woman walking with George across the lawn as Anne drowses in the beginning of “Anne”?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Hester discover about her husband after she’s left him in “The Wife’s Story”?

2. What was the ultimate changing point in the marriage between Hester and Dr. Manning in “The Wife’s Story”?

3. When and why did Hester’s marriage begin to change in “The Wife’s Story”?

4. How is Hester’s departure from her family described in “The Wife’s Story”?

5. How does the plot of “Anne” relate to the life of author Rebecca Harding Davis?

6. What happens to Mrs. Palmer in the denouement of “Anne”?

7. What is the character of Anne doing in the opening of the last story, “Anne”?

8. How would you describe the character of Hester in “The Wife’s Story”? What information is established about Hester in the opening of the story?

9. Who does Mrs. Palmer first encounter on the train in “Anne”? What is Mrs. Palmer’s reaction?

10. What does Hester do after leaving her family in “The Wife’s Story”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the narrative style of “Anne.” How does this narrative style differ from the previous stories in the collection? How would the story differ if it were told from a first-person perspective? Who is the narrator of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the setting of “Life in the Iron Mills.” Where in the United States does the story take place? What river is described as rolling by the town? What era historically does the narrative take place in? What role does the setting play in the story’s subject and themes?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the trial and sentencing of Hugh Wolfe in the narrative. Why did Hugh refuse a lawyer? Who was appointed to represent him? Do you think this lawyer did an adequate job? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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