View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Arnette bring to the Convent after her wedding?

2. What does Lone hear the men plotting?

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

4. What are Richard and Anna contemplating?

5. What does Soane want Connie to help her with?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Richard Misner angry about?

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

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

4. Why do many parents of the town instruct their children to stay away from Billie Delia, and is this reputation deserved?

5. Though she was welcomed back home by her father, why did Pallas return to the Convent?

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

7. Why does Mavis buy toys every Christmas?

8. How do the town of Ruby and the Convent share joint responsibility for the field of marijuana?

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

10. Why does Gigi receive fifty dollars for the box she finds under the bathtub?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The racial situation in the United States during the time that "Paradise" was set was different from the situation today. Today we have the benefit of hindsight. Given what we know today, was creating their own towns the best alternative for black people given their limited options, or was it merely a form of self-imposed segregation?

Essay Topic 2

Some of the residents of Ruby seem to think that the root of all their past problems were white people. Based on the outcome of the novel and what we learn about human nature, is this believe and oversimplification? Which characters best illustrate your stance on the subject?

Essay Topic 3

Though the Morgan's are the wealthiest and most powerful people in Ruby, that is not to say that they have not faced their own hardships. Indeed, the Morgans have endured heartbreaking loses. Outline some of these loses and offer theories on why the loses did or did not affect the Morgan's views on race relations.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 799 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample