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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. Which major character says "'You're right about Lisa. You can't even begin to imagine how sick she is. But if you're going to sign up here, you have to expect a lot of rough play'" (p. 58)?

2. Mary Nell Fickett explains how she intends to help Lisa Shilling--she refers to the process as...

3. Lisa Shilling's conversation with her parents opens the novel. After that conversation what does Lisa do?

4. The narrator states that Lisa Shilling's oldest friend is...

5. How does Mrs. Shilling respond when Mary Nell Fickett tries to tell her that Lisa Shilling has a mental illness that needs treatment?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why do Mr. and Mrs. Shilling ignore their daughter's repeated assertions that she is mentally ill?

2. Describe Mary Nell Fickett's and Besty Goodman's initial attempts to secure professional help for their friend Lisa Shilling.

3. Why does Lisa Shilling tell her parents that she thinks she is mentally ill in front of her friend Mary Nell Fickett?

4. Why is chapter one presented in italic type face?

5. Describe the family situation of the four main characters.

6. Why does the narrator spend so much time establishing which protagonist is better looking, which is more intelligent, and which is from a wealthier family?

7. Who is the narrator in chapter one?

8. Why does Lisa Shilling find herself attracted to Elizabeth Frazer, as a potential friend?

9. What kind of a job does Mr. Goodman do as an insurance salesman?

10. Why does Lisa Shilling feel more comfortable with her new friend Betsy Goodman than with her older friend Mary Nell Fickett?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the process of maturation demonstrated by the character of Mary Nell Fickett. How does she change and grow during the events of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Assume that the basis of all criticism is the reader's response to the text. Without focusing on a critical theory, describe your reaction to the text. Did you like the book? Why or why not? What aspects (if any) of the novel did you particularly like, and why? What aspects (if any) did you particularly dislike, and why?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the role of class in the novel. Which characters act appropriately for their class? Who is the wealthiest character in the novel and how do they act? Who is the poorest character in the novel and how do they act?

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