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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. What diagnosis is described by "when someone wants to do something and yet knows he shouldn't, he reaches out for the thing he shouldn't have, remembers he shouldn't have it, and pulls back. He can go through this for hours, days, years, which makes him absolutely motionless, afraid to do anything" (p. 62)?

2. Lisa Shilling tells her friends that she is always tired. Why is she always tired?

3. During a barbecue near the end of the school year, Lisa Shilling physically attacks which major character?

4. For what reason does the narrator believes that Mr. Bernstein and the school will not act in Lisa Shilling's best interests?

5. Which major character always eats fattening foods like mayonnaise but still has a slim figure?

Short Essay Questions

1. After Lisa assaults Elizabeth, she makes her close friends make her a particular promise. What is the promise, and why does she make them accept it?

2. Mr. Milne makes a few attempts to have Lisa Shilling's condition accepted and treated. He calls upon the school authorities in a formal and, later, an informal manner. He also meets with Rev. Fickett and Mr. Shilling directly. His attempts meet with failure as first Bernstein and the school administration and later Mr. Shilling stonewall him. Should Milne have done anything differently? Should Milne have given up when he did?

3. Lisa Shilling occasionally talks in a deep, sultry voice with a notable English accent. Betsy Goodman associates this English-sounding Lisa with the dark Lisa. In popular psychology, what type of mental illness would account for this distinction?

4. Mary Nell Fickett believes that she might fully master the study of abnormal psychology by reading many books. Describe Mary Nell's reasoning and comment upon it.

5. Betsy Goodman believes at one point that she might gain valuable insight into Lisa Shilling's condition simply by watching an Elizabeth Taylor movie. Describe Betsy's reasoning and comment upon it.

6. Mary Nell Fickett and Betsy Goodman briefly consider inviting Lisa Shilling's younger sister Tracy to their group therapy sessions. They decide against it. Why do they decide against it?

7. How might the narrative differ if the protagonists were male?

8. How does Betsy Goodman's focus on movie stars help develop the plot?

9. Is Betsy Goodman a reliable narrator?

10. What techniques does Mrs. Shilling utilize to ignore her daughter Lisa's symptoms of mental illness?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mrs. Shilling functions as the novel's primary antagonist as she absolutely refuses to admit her daughter might be suffering from mental illness. Instead, Mrs. Shilling spends her time ignoring her daughter and when faced with incontrovertible evidence points fingers instead of looking for solutions. Do you find the portrayal of Mrs. Shilling credible? Describe Mrs. Shilling's role in the novel. Have you ever know someone like Mrs. Shilling?

Essay Topic 2

The narrator describes many traits of her friends in terms of movie stars or other famous people. In particular, Betsy likes Paul Newman and Cher. If you were revising the novel for today's teenagers, which celebrities would you select to replace Paul Newman, Cher, Joanna Woodward, Shirley MacLaine, and others? How would this process update your understanding of the characters?

Essay Topic 3

In the final analysis, who is the novel 'about'? Is the novel the story of Lisa Shilling and her fight against mental illness? Or is the novel about Betsy Goodman and her coming of age as a friend in a difficult relationship? Is it about denial in parents and community? Or is it about someone or something else? Explain and defend your selection.

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This section contains 1,354 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample