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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 is the name of the area to where the outlaws take the circus folk?

2. Who does Mignon accompany on a waltz?

3. How did Countess P. kill her husband?

4. Why was the Escapee convicted?

5. What do the circus refer to the escaped convict as?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the clowns performance in book 2, chapter 10.

2. In what way can Lizzie be seen as a business woman?

3. How is the concept of space and time explored in this chapter?

4. How does Fevvers greed blind her to her problems in book 2 chapter 11?

5. What is the only thing Carter presents as Walser being able to use to rediscover himself?

6. What do the character do to occupy themselves on the train ride?

7. How does Olga bring new hope to the women's prison camp?

8. What world has Walser's amnesia submerged him in?

9. What is happening to Fevvers in book 3, chapter 9?

10. What does Fevvers discover about Walser in book 3, chapter 10?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Critically examine the negative and positive points of Nights at the Circus. Is it an accurate portrayal of late 19th century life? Does it have dramatic impact? Are the characters well drawn?

Essay Topic 2

Using examples to support your argument discuss the following statement. In order to promote the role the woman plays in the book, Carter feminizes the male character or makes them emotionally weak.

Essay Topic 3

Examine Carter's writing style. How would you describe Carter's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does she use? Does she use any specific writing techniques? What meaning does Carter's style give to the story? Can you detect a distinct personality with her style?

(see the answer keys)

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