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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 auditions to sing with Chloe?

2. What does Vivian say to Preacher Thomas for the first time in Part IV?

3. What do Vivian and Preacher Thomas do for the first time in Part IV?

4. When does Esther begin to write songs of her own?

5. Who does Preacher Thomas say he fell in love with as a young boy?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Ruth tell Esther when she comes to the house to check on Esther in Part IV?

2. What does Esther offer Mr. Bailey in order not to sell The Champagne Supper Club?

3. In Part IV, what step does Vivian take regarding what is left of the singing group to try to reach for success again?

4. Who reconnects Chloe with James, and why?

5. What does Horace argue to others who Mr. Belmont has approached?

6. What doe Esther do when Horace leans in to kiss her?

7. What does Vivian tell Esther to do when she and Chloe get back from the Dunbar audition?

8. What is Ruth's wedding like?

9. In Part IV, what does Ruth do that Mary catches her at?

10. What does Esther realize she has a particular talent for in Part IV?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the cultural and societal expectations surrounding women as employed workers in the labor market and as unpaid caregivers/homemakers throughout this novel? Through which characters does Sexton explore these ideas? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

Essay Topic 2

Why do you think Sexton chose to structure the novel in alternating chapters focusing on four main characters, but kept the same third-person perspective throughout? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

How are Vivian's dreams for The Salvations influenced by her religious faith at different points throughout the novel? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

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