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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 is transpiring as the tall woman talks to her husband on the phone at her hotel?

2. How does the tall woman's husband react when she happily tells him what she is doing at the hotel?

3. When promising to show the exotic birds to the schoolgirls, what does Manuel say is different about the bird from Brazil?

4. Despite her proclivities, what does Lina decry as disgusting?

5. Why does Lina claim to hate all men?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to the woman in the crowd while awaiting the Russian execution?

2. In the story "The Maja," why did Novalis marry Maria and how does this affect their marriage?

3. Describe the scene with the four girls in Manuel's apartment on their second visit.

4. How does Louis "court" the woman in the ocean before he tries to make love to her?

5. Why is Lina angry about the narrator's lovers?

6. How is Maria finally able to overcome her aversion to sensuality?

7. Why does Louis walk to the beach in "The Woman on the Dunes"?

8. What are the differing opinions given on why Lina behaves the way she does with the narrator?

9. What are Lina's views on lesbianism?

10. For what reasons, in the woman's story, are the people so stirred up about the impending execution of the Russian radical?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the major themes of "Little Birds" is about submission and control. Analyze and discuss this in regards to the gender dynamics of these stories, the age of the characters (particularly the stories dealing with young women and older men), and how it relate to the power struggle found in many of the couples in this book. Also, discuss the outcomes of these struggles and how the relationship suffers or thrives. Be sure to develop a clear thesis statement and cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Why is this book called "Little Birds?" How does the title relate to the activities in the title story of this book? How does this theme relate to other characters and situations? Why is it significant that a collection of erotic stories should choose to have this connotation? In what ways does this help to subvert the idea that this book is merely pornography? Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

In terms of racist language and reference, what marks these stories as having been written in a much earlier than this one? How is this particularly seen in "Saffron" and "Sirocco?" How can these stories be seen as a commentary about these men's needs to control women? In what ways is this sort of bigotry on display in "the Queen?" What is significant about the fact that these references are all seen in relation to selfish, bitter, and controlling men?

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