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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 presents the first lecture at Patty Jane's business?

2. What song does Harriet sing her favorite verse of in Chapter 24?

3. Who does Patty Jane think of on Thanksgiving?

4. How does Nora's relationship with her mother change as she becomes a teenager?

5. What shames Patty Jane in Chapter 12?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Reese help Harriet in Chapters 18 and 19?

2. How does Nora deal with her father's reappearance?

3. Describe Reese and Harriet's wedding in Chapter 24.

4. Why does Harriet hope to find Merry in Chapter 21? Who does Harriet spot with the crazy woman in Chapter 21?

5. What happens to Harriet while she is riding on a bus in Chapter 14? Where does Harriet go afterward?

6. What does Patty Jane decide to do at the House of Curl in Chapter 12?

7. What does Harriet realize about drinking in Chapter 14? How does Patty Jane react when Harriet returns home drunk?

8. What is Harriet doing one day when she sees a school bus pass by? Why is the passing of the school bus significant?

9. What spurs Patty Jane to begin looking for a job? What trouble does she run into?

10. What is Harriet doing when she runs into Reese in Chapter 18? What does Reese give her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and interpret the relationship between Harriet and Patty Jane. Do they have a strong bond? What past experiences have brought them closer together? How do they handle being separated from one another during Harriet's alcoholism? How does Patty Jane react to Harriet's illness? How does she help Harriet at this time?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Landvik's use of humor in "Patty Jane's House of Curl." How does Landvik incorporate humor into the novel? What are some examples of humor? What type(s) of humor does she use?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss at least three examples of conflict in the novel. What are the causes of these conflicts? How do they affect the characters? How are these conflicts resolved?

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