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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 does the looseness of Annie's childhood home mean to her and her siblings?

2. How had Annie met Edith?

3. What is Edith's response to Annie when she says there is nothing left?

4. What does Annie remember liking about the Kahn house?

5. How does Annie respond when Sarah makes a comment about Rosemary being distraught?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Annie feel as she watches the children scatter Graham's ashes?

2. How does Annie compare the arrival of Graham's ashes to Annie shutting Graham's office door after Rosemary leaves?

3. What is Frieda's response when Sarah asks her if her relationship with Graham had been as secretive as Graham and Annie's?

4. How does Annie describe the changes that took place when she and Graham were at the lake house?

5. How do Sarah and Lucas find themselves in the same situation regarding their parents and their expectations of them?

6. How does being a caretaker of Claire make Frieda feel?

7. How does Frieda feel, in the end, about hearing Annie constantly vent about Graham's betrayal?

8. Why does Annie feel relief when Sarah leaves at the beginning of Chapter 14?

9. How does Frieda begin to feel admiration for Jeanne for keeping her out of the spreading of Graham's ashes?

10. How does Annie's feelings towards Mike's behavior change over time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Graham is seen by Annie as a lively, warm, social, larger-than-life person. Give at least three examples from the book to support this. Why might Graham be the way he is? What are the pros and cons for Graham's personality? How have events in his life been influenced by his personality?

Essay Topic 3

Both Sarah and Lucas have similar relationships with their mothers. Describe these relationships. How do these relationships compare to the ones they have with their stepmothers? Why might these relationships be the way they are? What does Sarah realize about both her and Lucas' desires regarding their parents? What role does their father play in these family dynamics?

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