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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. According to Noemí in Chapter 23, what is Francis not?

2. According to Dr. Cummins in Chapter 22, how did his daughter die?

3. Who taught Francis to speak Spanish, as revealed in Chapter 22?

4. According to Virgil in Chapter 18, why is it impossible for Noemí to immediately leave High Place?

5. What word does Francis use in Chapter 23 to describe the transfer of Howard’s soul into Virgil’s body?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Noemí while she is bathing in Chapter 17?

2. What myth does Noemí read in Chapter 18? How do the story’s events mirror what is happening at High Place?

3. What does Noemí discover as she awakens from her dream in Chapter 17?

4. What is the “gloom,” according to Francis in Chapter 20?

5. Why is it impossible for Noemí to leave High Place, according to Virgil at the end of Chapter 18? What does he ask her to do?

6. What strange dream does Noemí have in Chapter 14?

7. How does Howard appear in Chapter 19? What is Noemí forced to do?

8. What information does Noemí learn about Dr. Cummins in Chapter 21?

9. What is odd about the marriage, as explained at the start of Chapter 24?

10. What happens to Catalina at the start of Chapter 13?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Appearances in Mexican Gothic can be deceiving. How do appearances differ from reality in this novel? Discuss three characters, objects, or situations and how this idea applies to each.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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