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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. Why did Sourmelina's parents send her to America?

2. What is unusual about Lefty and Desdemona's relationship?

3. What shocks Desdemona and Lefty about Sourmelina's husband, Jimmy Zismo?

4. What does Desdemona admire about the women of Temple No.1?

5. What does Desdemona attempt to smuggle into the U.S. in her silkworm box?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the events that allow Desdemona and Lefty to depart from Smyrna.

2. Describe Desdemona's silkworm box and its contents.

3. How do Dr. Philobosian's and Uncle Pete's views on conception differ?

4. What is the conflict between Desdemona and Lefty in the chapter "Marriage on Ice"?

5. Why does Lefty not marry either of the village girls that Desdemona attempts to set him up with?

6. Describe Desdemona's appearance.

7. Describe Calliope's baptism.

8. Why does the vigilante who throws a Molotov Cocktail into the Zebra Room yell "Opa!" as he sets the diner on fire?

9. What does Milton do to convince the realtor to sell him Middlesex?

10. How does Jimmy Zismo change during Sourmelina's pregnancy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Dr. Luce's study of Cal/Calliope not only explains his/her medical condition, but also causes him/her to make the decision to change genders.

1) Describe Dr. Luce's conclusions about Cal/Calliope's medical condition. What is his diagnosis? What does he propose as a course of treatment?

2) Analyze the accuracy of Dr. Luce's conclusions. Did he correctly diagnose Cal/Calliope? Why or why not? Was his course of treatment appropriate? Why or why not?

3) Discuss how Cal/Calliope's life would have been different if s/he had continued to work with Dr. Luce and had followed his course of treatment.

Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Throughout Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides weaves actual events from history (Turkish and American) into his fictional story. Select one of the situations where he places his characters within a real historical context and:

1) Describe the historical context of the scene or chapter (i.e. What actually happened in history that Eugenides uses in the book?).

2) Discuss the relationship between the historical context and the fictional story of the Stephanides family. What does this piece of history have to do with the family's life? Why does Eugenides choose to place these characters at this particular point in the story in this particular historical context?

Essay Topic 3

Middlesex is a first person narrative written from the point of view of Cal. Discuss how this fact influences the story? What biases does Cal bring to the story? How would the nove be different if another character was telling the story? Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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