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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. During Theresa's previous trip to the beach, what was Theresa's relationship status?

2. How does Theresa feel when she reads the third message she acquired?

3. Why did Theresa's marriage end?

4. Which of the following themes are introduced in Chapter 1 of "Message in a Bottle?"

5. How does Theresa react when Deanna presses her to publish the message?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Garrett feelings after inviting Theresa on board his boat?

2. Why is Theresa lonely, the summer she found the bottle?

3. Where does the letter come from and who determines the location from which it was sent?

4. How does Theresa find out about the third message?

5. Where is Theresa at the start of the book, and why is she there?

6. What were the two main uses of messages in a bottle throughout the years?

7. What was Theresa excited about before she read the message in the bottle she first found on the beach?

8. What surprises await Theresa when she returns to work on Monday following the publication of the message?

9. How do Garrett and Theresa meet the second time?

10. Do you think removing information to identify who wrote the letter makes the moral ambiguity disappear?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss why flashbacks are used by Nicholas Sparks in "Message in a Bottle." Give examples of how they are used and to what purpose, as well as why Sparks may have chosen to use flashbacks instead of writing the book so that it started three years prior. Give examples from the book to support your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

Why doesn't Theresa mention the letters when she first meets Garrett? Do you think their relationship could have evolved if she had? Do you think they would have moved as quickly? Support your discussion and opinions with quotes from the text and feel free to use secondary sources from well known critics.

Essay Topic 3

In the first letter written by Garrett to Catherine, Garrett discusses his dream about her. Discuss the symbolism that dreams can carry and how the author uses dreams to deepen Garrett's character traits. Define symbolism in the essay and use examples from the text to support your statements.

(see the answer keys)

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