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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 does Gallimard say about Song's performance?

2. In the stage directions, who does David Henry Hwang compare Song to in appearance?

3. What is different about the night that occurs in Scene 10?

4. What does Gallimard ask Song?

5. Who plays the character of Suzuki in Gallimard's dream?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Song say she wants to do by the end of her encounter with Chin in Act 2, Scene 9? Is this her own choice?

2. What does Gallimard believe when Song says "...sometimes it is also mutual" and why does it surprise him?

3. Why does Gallimard want Song to say she is his Butterfly?

4. How does the nature of Gallimard and Song's relationship develop through Act 1?

5. Why does Song say that Peepee will never live in the West?

6. What is Gallimard's relationship with Marc?

7. What did Song mean when she said the fascination Caucasian men have for Oriental women is always "imperialist?"

8. What is the difference of Toulon living "in China," and Gallimard living "with the Chinese?"

9. How does Marc's marriage and his treatment of women and that of Gallimard's differ?

10. How does the character of Comrade Chin view Song's actions for the government?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nearing the end of Act 2, Helga and Gallimard have an altercation involving the changing face of the country. Gallimard seems unable to find happiness in his life in France, and Helga seems lost as well, unable to understand the political upheaval that has followed them from the Eastern world.

1. How was life different for Gallimard and Helga during their time in China? How has France changed in the time they were away? How are the two countries similar?

2. How does Gallimard react to Helga's opinion of their two homes? What does Gallimard want that Helga cannot provide?

3. How does this interaction reflect the larger picture of international changes?

Essay Topic 2

Each woman in Hwang's story has a distinctive role to play and her own interpretation of the feminist point of view.

1. Describe in turn the women of the play (specifically, Song, Helga, Chin, Renee). What is their role in the life of the play?

2. How does each woman express their sexuality in the play? What are their individual strengths? Their weaknesses? How do those qualities affect their relationships with other characters?

3. How do these women's personalities compare to each other? How do their lives as women differ?

Essay Topic 3

The politics of a changing world play a major part in the direction of the plot. Write an essay on how the political tumult defines the conflict between certain characters and situations.

1. What are some of the major political events that happen while Gallimard is in office? What are the major global events that occur during the 1960's?

2. As the 60's progress, how does life for the characters in the play change? What is at stake for characters involved? How does the play and the stakes within it change as time goes by?

3. Describe how the growing chaos of the 1960s reflect events within M. Butterfly.

(see the answer keys)

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