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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 is Dorotea's nickname?

2. What does don Pedro offer to El Tilcuate in exchange for his services as a mercenary?

3. What does don Pedro tell the revolutionaries who come asking for money?

4. Who tries to help don Pedro into the house before he dies?

5. Where does Father Rentería go on his walk after Miguel's death?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Fulgor compare Miguel to don Pedro?

2. How does don Pedro deal with the news of Miguel's crimes?

3. What is unusual about Susana's reaction to her mother's death?

4. Describe the night Susana learns of Florencio's death.

5. What does Father Rentería describe to Susana as she lay dying?

6. Why does Susana reject Father Rentería in her last living moments?

7. What does doña Inés want Abundio to tell his dead wife?

8. When the reader first hears Susana's narrative, where does she think she is?

9. Why is Villalpando in such a bad mood?

10. What happens when the revolutionaries come to don Pedro's house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the themes that runs through the novel is the nature of redemption and hope in a person's life. Select one of the following characters and explain what gives them hope during their lives:

- Juan

- Pedro

- Susana

- Dolores

- Dorotea

Address how (or if) they are able to find any sort of redemption in the afterlife. How do you know this from the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Susana represents two sides of our natures: the physical and the spiritual, the body versus the soul. Susana rejects the spiritual realm and instead revels in sensual, corporeal pleasures and sensations. Give at least three examples of the text where Susana remembers a physical, bodily experience. How does her nature affect her fate? Do you think her sensual nature is at all to blame for the nature of her relationship with Pedro? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Don Pedro and Father Rentería are two different examples of characters dealing with the consequences of their actions. Don Pedro seems to live a guiltless life without regret, while Father Rentería is consumed by guilt. Compare and contrast the two characters based on the following:

- What actions in their lives most affect the two characters?

- How do they deal with the consequences of their actions

- Who do you think is the more sympathetic of the characters? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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