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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 Scene 8 take place?

2. How much does Pinkerton pay for Butterfly?

3. According to Gallimard, who wrote Madame Butterfly?

4. How much time has passed since Gallimard's last meeting with Song by Scene 13?

5. In what year does Scene 4 take place?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the character of Renee.

2. How does Gallimard's character change at the end of Scene 10?

3. Describe the character of Manuel Toulon.

4. Why is Song's invitation to for Gallimardto enter her apartment so serious for her?

5. How is the character of Isabelle important?

6. How do Gallimard and his wife agree in regards to their opinion of the Chinese people?

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

8. How does Gallimard look at his marriage? Who did he marry? What did he marry for?

9. What does Gallimard's experience with Isabelle reflect his sex life as a whole?

10. What is the premise for Gallimard's favorite musical, Madame Butterfly?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Hwang wrote M. Butterfly after hearing details on the true account of a French diplomat falling for a cross-dressing Chinese spy. However, the spectrum of ideas presented in this play are Hwang's. Write an essay summing up the larger ideas of this play.

1. What are the political themes of this play? What did Hwang hope to achieve by resenting them dramatically? Was he successful?

2. What are the gender issues associated with this story? How is the perception of the feminine/masculine a major thematic element?

3. Dramatically, what did Hwang attempt to present with this play? What are we as the audience supposed to walk away from this story feeling or wanting?

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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