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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. Julia's mother, the person named as the only one who "had believed in a bright future for Julia," (50) had not lived long enough to see which milestone in Julia's life?

2. In what way are Julia and Ellie related?

3. How many blocks in length is the town of Rain Valley?

4. Who leads the first press conference in an attempt to discover Girl's identity?

5. With whom does Ellie recall having her first kiss beneath the same maple tree in which Girl is sitting?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what way does Hannah connect the theme of secrecy to the nature of small towns?

2. What aspect of Max's character does Julia admit to being seduced by at the end of Chapter 11?

3. What is elective mutism?

4. Name one theme depicted within the epigraph of Magic Hour.

5. Provide an example of Julia feeling rejected by her father in her youth.

6. What does Julia mean when she tells Max that Girl is "just like a cat" (81)?

7. Name two things the media is said to have ignored about Julia's situation.

8. What shift in narration occurs between Chapters 1 and 2?

9. In what way does the theme of hope enter the narrative in relation to Julia's position as a psychiatrist?

10. In what way does Julia consider her mother to have been her closest ally in the family?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the interplay between the resolution of Magic Hour and one of the novel's main messages. How does Hannah make connections between these elements and how does their juxtaposition help them get across one of the text’s main themes?

Essay Topic 2

What message does Magic Hour send about the American media and how does this message connect to another theme within the text?

Essay Topic 3

Write a critical essay about Magic Hour while using the critical power theory lens of feminist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the novel's treatment of gender roles, the objectification of women, female empowerment, misogyny's role within society, or any other issues related to feminist theory that can be found in the novel.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 966 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample