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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 was Cathery when he turned 21 and received his trust fund?

2. Who demands to know what Mallory was doing in Gramercy Park?

3. Where does Mallory have a house in New York after Markowitz dies?

4. Who is the owner of the building in which Mallory has a new office?

5. Who goes to Mallory's apartment to tell her that she is on compassionate leave?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Butler handle Mrs. Pickering request for help and her doubts about her mother's pet medium?

2. Why is Mallory disconcerted when she meets Edith?

3. Why does a dog jump out the window in the prologue?

4. Why does Margot stab a man in the subway?

5. Why is Butler's presence at poker important?

6. When Margot cannot get into her apartment, how does she reveal her desperation in her subsequent acts?

7. Why does the pawnbroker call Mallory?

8. Why is Butler upset with Mallory in her new office in his building?

9. What is of significance to the pawnbroker about the jewelry brought in by the junkie?

10. Why is Sloop unable to tell the exact time of death of Markowitz?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe some of the settings for the book. What is the overall setting? Be sure to include geography, time period and any pertinent popular culture events. Why did O'Connell choose to use these places in the book?

Essay Topic 2

Both Mallory and Butler are important characters.

Part 1) Compare Mallory to Butler. How are these two characters similar and how are they different?

Part 2) What psychological purpose or insight does Mallory offer? Elaborate on this.

Part 3) Mallory offers to examine the past of the murder suspects. What is implied in this decision and how does it reveal that the murder motive is connected to the past of the murderer and not the present circumstances alone?

Essay Topic 3

O'Connell uses more than one iteration on the motif of life-death-life. Identify at least two motifs about life-death-life in the book. Then cite an example to support each answer.

(see the answer keys)

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