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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. With what do Jay and Avey become obsessed in their lives now?

2. Why did Avey try to have a miscarriage when she was pregnant with Marion?

3. When did Avey last have a dream about her Great Aunt Cuney?

4. What did Jay read to the girls on Sunday mornings?

5. Which of the following are Avey's plans?

Short Essay Questions

1. What legend did Great Aunt Cuney tell Avey about the African Ibos?

2. Where is Avey at the beginning of Chapter 5 and what is she waiting to do?

3. Describe how Jay works hard to provide for his family at the expense of his own soul.

4. What visions does Avey have during the night she spends at the hotel?

5. Who is Thomasina and how does she react to Avey's wanting to leave the cruise?

6. What is the premise of this novel?

7. What is the significance of the peach parfait for Avey?

8. What did Avey realize about Jay on the night of the big fight?

9. What are Avey's plans and how does she make her exit from the cruise?

10. What strikes Avey as odd as she watches the people at the harbor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the significance of the book's title. What did the author mean by calling the novel Praisesong for the Widow? What other title could you suggest? State a reason to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Why did Marshall choose to use the omniscient narrator perspective for the novel? What does this point of view entail? What do you know about the characters and the plot line that you would not know from a different point of view?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the story. Which of the characters are lonely? Are they all lonely in some way? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

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