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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 is Garrett reminded of when he and Theresa talk before dinner on their third date?

2. What does Garrett dream the night Theresa leaves to go back to Boston?

3. While he is with Theresa, beside his father, who else does Garrett tell he will be unavailable for the next few days?

4. How does Garrett feel about Boston?

5. Where do Garrett, Theresa, and Kevin go in the evening following their arrival in Wilmington?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the relationship between Theresa and Garrett evolve in Chapter 8?

2. How does Garrett win over Kevin when they finally meet?

3. What difference can you see between the conversation during dinner and the one at the beach in Chapter 5?

4. What question does Kevin ask Theresa in the plane back to Boston?

5. What are Garrett's feelings after spending another weekend with Theresa?

6. Who do you think Theresa is in love with at the end of Chapter 9, the Garrett from the letter or the Garrett she met?

7. What happens the last night Theresa is in Wilmington?

8. What does Theresa do for lunch the day she receives flowers from Garrett?

9. Why does Garrett's father visit him in his shop at the start of Chapter 10?

10. What message does the last bottle from Garrett contain?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Nicholas Sparks ends the story on an ironic note. In an essay, define the meaning of irony and apply it to the ending. How does Sparks include an ironic twist at the end? How does it affect the story line and the characters? Discuss why Sparks may have chosen to end "Message in a Bottle" in the way he did and what he accomplished with the ending. Use examples from the book to support your statements.

Essay Topic 2

Setting can deepen the story line and help deepen your characters' traits. In the novel, "A Message in a Bottle," the sailboat acts as one of the settings in the story and is important to many major scenes in the novel. Define setting in your essay and then discuss how it contributes to the story and the character development. What does the sailboat represent in "Message in a Bottle?" Why does the sailboat's destruction have importance in the novel? Provide a few examples from the story to help support your statements.

Essay Topic 3

Jeb had experienced a similar loss to Garrett, though Jeb may have been more prepared. Jeb attempts to offer advice to Garrett about continuing to live, despite the grief and loss. When Jeb asks Garrett about his relationship with Theresa, Garrett tries to deny his feelings.

Later asks Theresa out for lunch and dinner despite having initially rejected his dad's suggestion. Compare this with the instances when Jeb thinks Garrett's dreams focus on his fears and when Jeb believes Garrett is moving too quickly in their relationship. Why does Jeb seem to go back and forth about his son's relationship with Theresa? Use information from the book to build your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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