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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. How does Vanessa spend the summer before her senior year of college?

2. According to Strane on page 341, what does Vanessa’s blog satisfy for her?

3. According to Vanessa on page 263, what was Strane’s misfortune?

4. On page 367, Taylor reveals the publication of the article did not give her what expected feeling?

5. Whom does Professor Plough know on the Browick staff?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Vanessa reveal to Henry Plough regarding her time at Browick? What connection to Browick does Plough reveal?

2. What package does Vanessa receive in the mail following Strane’s death? What effect does this package have on her?

3. How does the literature in Vanessa’s gothic seminar parallel her real life?

4. How does Strane die? How does he appear to Vanessa?

5. How does Vanessa’s relationship with Strane change after her graduation from college? To what can the reader attribute such change?

6. Who is Jo and how does she get her name?

7. How does Vanessa feel regarding her impending graduation from college? What does Strane say about it on page 270?

8. How does Strane describe the student accusing him of assault on page 306?

9. Who is Bridget? Describe her relationship with Vanessa.

10. Why does Strane send Vanessa a packet of documents? Of what is he trying to remind her, as he explains on page 327? What does he want to achieve?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Vanessa experiences great change over the course of the novel. In what ways does she change and in what ways does she remain the same? By the novel’s end, is she better for these changes? What makes you say this? Explain your opinion using examples from the text.

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

What is the role of technology in the novel? How does technology impact My Dark Vanessa’s characters, plot, and themes?

(see the answer keys)

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