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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. Why does Rachel live in her home rent free?

2. Who pays to get Robert's cameras from the pawn shop?

3. What does Augustus explain to Gian at the end of Chapter 10?

4. What does the Arab man request at the end of Chapter 2?

5. Who calls Jennifer and leaves a message on her machine?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the health and body of Mavis.

2. What leads up to Jennifer's acceptance of Travis' offer for a date?

3. Why is Catch seeking a new master?

4. Explain Travis' control over Catch, in terms of what areas he can and cannot control.

5. What leads Detective Sergeant Alphonso Rivera to watch the tape of Robert's drunk driving arrest, and what does he see on the tape?

6. What does Robert dream about, and how does this affect him?

7. How did Gian Hen Gian come to be trapped in a bottle?

8. How does Bella become Rachel's lover? What happens to separate them?

9. The Breeze spends much of Chapter 1 feeling sorry for himself. Do you believe the Breeze is entitled to sympathy?

10. Describe Travis and Jennifer's dinner date.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Murder, or the threat of murder, is used to attain many goals in the novel. Rachel and Catch, for example, use murder for two very different reasons. Choose one of these characters, and discuss their use of murder or the threat of murder to achieve their goals. Be sure to analyze their victims, why they kill or threaten, and whether or not you believe their actions in each case are justified. Also, be sure to explain the situation under which they kill or threaten to kill their victims.

Essay Topic 2

In the novel, there are several characters who attempt to hide their pasts from others in the novel. Rachel hides her marriage and her abusive history, Jennifer hides her marriage from Travis, and Travis hides his past from Jennifer. The entire town, as a matter of fact, attempts to cover up its past through the changing of the name of the town. Do you think such actions are ever warranted? Do you believe such actions have a purpose in life? Why or why not? Choose one character and analyze why they tried to hide their past? What did they lie about? Why? Were the lies justified? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Women are portrayed in several ways in the novel. Jennifer herself is portrayed as a tolerant wife, a powerful, natural woman, a desirable woman who cares how she looks, and as a powerful woman. Rachel moves throughout the story from an abused wife to a seductive, power-seeking femme fatale. Mavis is also a strong female character, as is Amanda. Discuss at least two of these characters at length. Make sure to touch on their progress throughout the novel, their appearance, their role throughout the novel, and how their society views them in relation to the events of the novel.

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