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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 is the new teacher acting as dorm parent for Vanessa’s dorm, as revealed on page 15?

2. What is the name of Vanessa’s favorite recording artist, as revealed on page 14?

3. How does Vanessa describe her current emotional state to Strane on page 104?

4. Whose dog does Vanessa walk in order to go past Strane’s house?

5. Why did Vanessa being seeing a therapist, as revealed on page 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. What procedure does Strane reveal he has had on page 102, and why does he reveal this information?

2. Who is Jenny and what does the reader learn about her (and subsequently about Vanessa) on page 12?

3. What indications are given to the reader that illustrate Vanessa’s lack of agency during her first sexual encounter?

4. Who is Dolores Haze and what does she represent to Vanessa, as explained on page 76?

5. Whose poetry does Strane give Vanessa to read while she is still his student? What is the effect of this poetry on Vanessa?

6. According to Strane on page 4, why might he be found guilty of assault?

7. Who writes a letter to the board regarding the relationship between Vanessa and Strane? What is the initial result of this letter?

8. According to Strane following Vanessa’s conversation with Jenny, what would happen to Vanessa if anyone found out about their affair?

9. Who testifies to Mrs. Giles that Strane and Vanessa have been having an affair? How does Vanessa respond?

10. What happens during the field trip to see Andrew Wyeth’s home? Who witnesses this interaction?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the symbol of the strawberry and cream pajamas in My Dark Vanessa. How does it represent Jacob Strane, his relationship with Vanessa, and the themes of the novel as a whole?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast Strane and Plough. How does each treat Vanessa, and how does Vanessa treat each? To what can the reader attribute such behavior? Support your answers with examples from the text.

Essay Topic 3

The characters in My Dark Vanessa all highlight the idea the past is never truly past. Choose three characters and explain how each illustrates this idea, using textual evidence to support your claims.

(see the answer keys)

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