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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 important event has Graham forgotten in Chapter 2?

2. What is one thing the narrator does NOT say Graham remembers about the day his first wife, Frieda, left him?

3. What is the reason John gives for why he has been faithful to his wife?

4. How does Sarah know that Thomas is interested in her?

5. Why are Graham and Annie worried about Karen?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Annie realize, towards the end of this section of the book, is changing regarding her relationship to her children?

2. What is the relationship like between Annie and Danielle?

3. At the beginning of Chapter 3, what is Graham remembering and why?

4. What advice does John Norris give Graham over their lunch date?

5. What is Annie's reaction to Danielle's vote of confidence regarding her upcoming solo show?

6. How does Annie try to cheer herself up and appear younger?

7. Why is Annie surprised by Sarah's behavior at Annie and Graham's home?

8. What does Annie notice at the beginning of Chapter 7 about Graham?

9. Why does Annie sometimes feel envious of Graham when she would see him around town?

10. What is learned about Sarah's relationship with her mother, based on what she tells Thomas?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Annie feels a sense of relief multiple times, in regards to her closeness with people. What are two times that she feels this relief? What are the events surrounding this sense of relief? What does this reinforce regarding Annie's personality as it was described early on in the book?

Essay Topic 2

Both Sarah and Annie initially are happy to be alone - Sarah in her childhood home and Annie leaving for the Vermont lake house. How do their feelings change? Why do they change? What does this say about both of them?

Essay Topic 3

The novel ends with Annie grieving again over the loss of Graham. How has her grief changed over the course of the novel? What has led to these changes? What does this reveal about the complexities of grief?

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