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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 causes Gillian to sleep more peacefully?

2. Who does Maria follow to Massachusetts?

3. What do the aunts realize when they hug Gillian?

4. What do Gillian and Sally do after Gary leaves?

5. What does Sally do when she finds out Gary is out?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Kylie play pranks on Ben and Gillian and what are those pranks?

2. What does Gideon do after his mother tells him what is going to happen and how does he know if Kylie and him are still friends?

3. How does Gary figure out how to track down Jimmy and who is Gary interested in meeting?

4. What do Sally and Gillian learn about Irene and how does this make them feel?

5. What do Gillian and Sally want to do with the thorns in the backyard and what does Kylie say about their plan?

6. What does Kylie receive from her aunts for her birthday and what happens after it is in the house?

7. Why did Maria Owens attract attention when she came to Massachusetts?

8. Who is at the aunts' house for Thanksgiving and what does the letter they receive say?

9. Why does Sally become enraged at Gillian for something Gillian says about Sally's daughters?

10. What does Gillian tell their aunts about Jimmy and what is their aunts' response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?

2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of Practical Magic, identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?

3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in Practical Magic. (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not.

Essay Topic 2

Sally and Gillian are in fact very different but they do love each other. This relationship that they have is very stressful for them because they cannot stand the way that each other lives. It will be shown later on that Gillian firmly believes that Sally is wasting her life and Sally believes that Gillian is ruining hers. Despite the way that they view each other's choices they will eventually realize that they need each other.

1. Discuss some ways that Sally and Gillian could learn to accept each other for who each of them are. Use examples from Practical Magic and your own life to support your answer.

2. Why do you think Sally believes Gillian is ruining her life? Use examples from Practical Magic and your own life to support your answer.

3. Why do you think Gillian thinks Sally is wasting her life? Use examples from Practical Magic and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Practical Magic". Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters are rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of individual freedom in "Practical Magic". Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters work to possess individual freedom? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of tradition in "Practical Magic". What the aunts' views of tradition? What about Sally? Why is tradition important to some characters? Is anyone willing to abandon traditional viewpoints? Who? What are the positive and negative sides to holding fast to tradition?

(see the answer keys)

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