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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 synonym for "hermaphrodite" does Callie see in the dictionary that upsets her?

2. What does Chapter Eleven announce he plans on majoring in after his freshman year of college?

3. Why do all of the Sunday dinner guests except for Father Mike and Zoe stop coming to Middlesex?

4. Which of the following changes in Callie is not typical for a girl to go through during puberty?

5. How do Tessie and Milton react to the ER doctor's diagnosis of Callie?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do all of the women working at Sixty-Niners have in common?

2. Describe Meg Zemka's personality.

3. Describe the dynamics of Zoe's and Father Mike's relationship.

4. Compare Milton's and Tessie's thoughts about Cal's hermaphroditism after she disappears

5. Describe the circumstances leading to Callie's injury.

6. How does Milton react to his impending death after running his car off of the bridge?

7. Why does Callie name her love interest "the Obscure Object"?

8. Describe the changes in Chapter Eleven that Callie notices when he returns home from his freshman year at college.

9. Why does Father Mike pretend to be Callie's kidnapper?

10. Why does Callie not discover her hermaphroditism in this chapter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Sexual taboos are central to the story lines in Middlesex. Discuss how the author uses forbidden romance and sexual secrets in the novel. What is the impact of these taboos on the story? What is the author trying to say about our beliefs about sexuality? Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

One of the themes in Middlesex is "you can't stop the inevitable". Discuss how Eugenides demonstrates this theme in the novel. Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

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