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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. Of what has Catalina accused her new husband, as revealed in Chapter 1?

2. What is Noemí forbidden to do while staying with the Doyles, as revealed in Chapter 2?

3. What disturbs Noemí about her bedroom in Chapter 4?

4. What two women are memorialized in Howard’s bedroom, as Noemí sees in Chapter 7?

5. How does Noemí describe Howard in Chapter 11?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who was Benito? What does Noemí learn about him in Chapter 12?

2. What odd dream does Noemí have at the end of Chapter 5?

3. Who is Marta and what information does she tell Noemí in Chapter 6?

4. According to Florence in Chapter 2, what rules must Noemí follow while at High Place?

5. What is High Place? What does Noemí think about High Place upon first seeing it in Chapter 2?

6. What happens when Dr. Camarillo visits Catalina in Chapter 8?

7. What does Noemí discover upon awakening from her nightmare in Chapter 11?

8. What bargain does Noemí strike with her father in Chapter 1?

9. Who was Aurelio? What does Noemí learn about him in Chapter 12?

10. Who is Dr. Camarillo and what does he tell Noemí in Chapter 6?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The role of beauty is a major theme of the novel. Choose three situations in which this theme is illustrated. Explain how each situation illustrates the theme of beauty, and evaluate what the author is trying to say about this subject.

Essay Topic 2

Although the world of Mexican Gothic is firmly rooted in the physical world, the characters of the novel frequently confront the supernatural world. How do supernatural phenomena affect the novel’s characters, plot, and themes?

Essay Topic 3

In what ways is the novel a celebration of stories? Evaluate the role of stories such as Gothic fiction, fairy tales, and mythology in the novel, using textual evidence for support.

(see the answer keys)

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