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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. Where does Emma next see Monsieur Binet?

2. What does Monsieur Lhereux try to sell to Emma?

3. Where in Yonville is Homais waiting for the Bovarys to arrive?

4. Why doesn't Emma buy anything from Monsieur Lhereux?

5. What is the main topic of conversation at Emma's first dinner in Yonville?

Short Essay Questions

1. What character types do the animals at the fair symbolize in Chapter 2: Part 8?

2. How is the cathedral described in Part 3: Chapter 1?

3. What is the state of Emma and Léon's relationship by the end of Part 3: Chapter 6?

4. Why does Emma allow herself to be so easily persuaded by Lhereux in Part 3: Chapter 2?

5. Why does Emma seek refuge at the home of Mère Rollet in Part 2: Chapter 7?

6. What characters are introduced in Part 2: Chapter 1 that seem to be important in the day-to-day life of the small town of Yonville?

7. By Part 2: Chapter 7, do you think Emma has become a sympathetic character? Why or why not?

8. What tactics does Emma use in Part 3: Chapter 3 to get to see Léon on a more regular basis?

9. Explain what happens to Homais in Part 3: Chapter 11. Do you think he deserves this?

10. Describe the beggar's appearance in Part 3: Chapter 5.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Three characters embody the servant class in the novel: Justin, Félicité, and Mère Rollet. What are their roles in the novel? How do they interact with Emma? They are servants, but Emma also manipulates them to serve her own personal interests. Describe how she does this and what their reactions are to her both in life and in death.

Essay Topic 2

In many ways, Madame Bovary is a critique of the middle-class life, and the constraints, expectations, and disappointments that are a part of it. Compare the world of the Bovarys to a typical American middle class existence. Specifically, address the following issues faced by the typical middle class family today and relate them to themes that Flaubert threads throughout his novel:

- Debt and financial crises

- The increase in depression and the need for therapy

- A search for community through online or virtual meeting places rather than in face-to-face scenarios

Essay Topic 3

In the speeches at the agricultural fair, the dignitaries often mention "duty" and Rodolphe scoffs. What are some meanings and implications of the word "duty"? How does the concept of duty play throughout the novel, specifically in the following ways:

- marital duty.

- duty to morality.

- duty to career.

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