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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. Marianne tells Connell that he takes what action frequently?

2. What is Rachel's last name?

3. What is Connell's last name?

4. In what location does Connell end up attending college?

5. The fundraising dance is held at the only what in town?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Connell know about his biological father and why?

2. How is Connell's mother Lorraine employed?

3. What comment of Marianne's does Connell repeat to himself and why?

4. What is one theme present within the epigraph of Normal People?

5. What had Connell's sexual experiences been like prior to meeting Marianne?

6. What are the conditions under which Connell tells Marianne that he loves her?

7. How does Lorraine react to the news that Connell is taking Rachel to the Debs?

8. What comment does Marianne make about her appearance when she sees Connell for the first time since high school and how does he react?

9. Describe Lorraine's appearance and manner.

10. What plan had Connell had in place for when he encountered Marianne again and what is its result?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

William Faulkner once famously claimed that the most important literature deals with the subject of the human heart in conflict with itself. Explain how the theme of Human versus Self is demonstrated within Rooney’s novel Normal People. Create a decisive, arguable claim and prove it with quotes from the novel.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the interplay between the resolution of Normal People and one of the novel's main messages. How does Rooney make connections between these elements and how does their juxtaposition help them get across one main message of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

How is the topic of communication treated within Normal People and how does its treatment relate to the novel's depicted messages?

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This section contains 931 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample