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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. Who takes care of Fleur when she is ill?

2. How is the plot of Warrender Chase, the novel, influenced by Fleur's experience at the Autobiographical Association?

3. How does Dottie initially react to the members of the Autobiographical Association?

4. What does Fleur say to Bucks Gilbert before she leaves?

5. Why is Fleur initially so pleased with her new employer and his assistant?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens in January of 1950 that begins to shed light on Sir Quentin's intentions?

2. How does Fleur spend that first meeting of the Association?

3. Describe any two members of the Association introduced in Chapter 2.

4. How does Dottie anger Fleur when discussing Warrender Chase in Chapter 3?

5. How does Fleur react upon learning that Beryl Tims loves Sir Quentin?

6. Fleur is relieved when Sir Quentin tells her that he will take over the editing of the manuscripts, but is suspicious of his motivation. Why?

7. An important parallel is drawn at the end of Chapter 6 that has, up to that point, only been mentioned by Fleur. What is it, and who brings it up?

8. Fleur calls in sick to work after the party. What happens when she does that shows how Fleur's attitude has changed toward her job?

9. What new information does Dottie share with Fleur when they are nursing each other through the flu that further blurs the line between the reality of the Association and the fiction transpiring in the Warrender Chase manuscript?

10. What does Wally suggest Fleur should do about her job, and how does she respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The drug Dexedrine is used by Sir Quentin to control his group of "followers."

What do the members gain, or perceive to gain, from following Sir Quentin? Could he have gained their confidence without the drugs? What did Sir Quentin's Association members have in common that made them susceptible to someone like him, similar to the blind faith cult members place in their leaders?

Essay Topic 2

Conflict between parent and child is a common theme in literature. This novel is no exception, although the parent/child conflict does not involve the main character. Analyze the sources of the parent/child conflict in Loitering with Intent and explain how it contributes to the development of the story.

Essay Topic 3

Muriel Spark intentionally leaves character motivation out of Loitering with Intent. Her main character, Fleur Talbot, discusses not disclosing Warrender Chase's motivation for his evil behavior, merely the effects of his evil actions.

Discuss the concept of motivation and why you think Spark doesn't focus on the motivation of her characters' actions. Do you think this affects the reader's impressions of the novel?

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