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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 does Lone hear the men plotting?

2. Why are some of the older residents of Ruby unhappy with Richard Misner?

3. What was the name of the woman who took care of Lone after Lone's mother died?

4. How does Patricia feel about the views she believes Richard is teaching to the young people?

5. What is one deed the Convent is blamed for that was actually committed by K.D.?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Pallas Truelove's situation before she arrived at the Convent?

2. What is Richard Misner angry about?

3. What sort of dilemma does Billie face in her romantic life?

4. What reasons does Patricia give for not approving of Richard's talks with the young people of the town?

5. Why do some people believe that Senior Pullman's negative remarks are directed at Richard Misner?

6. Why do the Fleetwoods blame Lone for problems with their grandchildren, and what evidence is there that the situation was not Lone's fault?

7. What are some of K.D.'s thoughts about marriage that indicate that he still has an immature or naïve worldview?

8. Why does Lone believe that the men of Ruby want to get rid of the women at the Convent?

9. According to Lone, what do the Fleetwoods blame on the women of the Convent, and why does Lone think this makes no sense?

10. What started the townspeople's idea that Billie was a wild child?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel does not have a simply linear plot progression. Describe the novel's plot progression and what effect this has on the reader.

Essay Topic 2

Describe Morrison's or the narrator's use of language in the novel "Paradise". Is the language elevated to the poetic or is it the everyday language of the rural people of Ruby?

Essay Topic 3

How would you describe the overall tone of "Paradise"? Does the tone change from chapter to chapter? In the end, how much the narrator's tone affect your reception of the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 780 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample