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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. Who does Marsha counsel at the beginning of Chapter 4?

2. What unusual demand did Victor make during prenatal care?

3. Who does Victor ask to come home with him to help protect VJ?

4. What are the results of VJ's tests?

5. How long did the unusual prenatal treatment Victor demanded last?

Short Essay Questions

1. What interrupts Marsha and Victor at the end of Chapter 6?

2. How does Victor Frank act during the delivery of the baby?

3. What is the implication of Mark and Maurice's illnesses?

4. Describe the relationship between VJ and Philip.

5. Compare Marsha and Victor's attitudes toward their son.

6. What is Marsha's attitude toward what she discovers Victor has done?

7. What does Marsha tell Victor about his race with VJ, and how does Victor react?

8. What has happened to Maurice, and how does Victor react?

9. What is Victor's response to Mark Murray's death?

10. What are Marsha's concerns about VJ?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the idea in the novel of special privilege for the gifted.

1) Why does Victor believe that VJ should have special privileges? What special privileges does Victor want for VJ?

2) Why does Marsha disagree with Victor about special privileges for VJ, and to what extent? What are Marsha's arguments?

3) What does the author imply about the danger of special privileges for the gifted?

Essay Topic 2

Marsha is the main female character in the novel, but the novel also includes minor female characters such as Janice and Josephine. Discuss the portrayal of women in the novel.

1) Is Victor's treatment of Marsha and her opinions different from his treatment of men? How does Victor treat women in general in the novel?

2) How is Marsha's perspective as a woman different from Victor's as a man? What do Marsha and Victor's perspectives say about men and women in general?

3) How are other women in the novel, aside from Marsha, portrayed? What commonalities are there among the female characters?

Essay Topic 3

In the novel, appearance often runs counter to reality. Discuss appearance versus reality in the novel.

1) What does the author accomplish by writing about a villain who is a ten-year-old boy? How does it affect the tone of the novel and its emotional impact on the reader?

2) When, in the novel, are appearances different from reality? When do outward appearances reflect reality? Compare and contrast these two types of situations.

3) In the novel, how is truth discerned from false appearances? How difficult or easy is it to uncover the truth?

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