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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 date does Tony decide to use as the starting point for Zenia's story?

2. Who is the antagonist in Chapter 1?

3. What was McClung Hall before it became an office building?

4. At Zenia's funeral in Chapter 3, who feels relieved that Zenia is dead?

5. In Chapter 1, what is the topic of what Tony describes as one of her more convoluted lectures?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Tony think Zenia created turbulence, and why does Tony feel compelled to understand Zenia's motivations?

2. Why isn't Tony sure which of Zenia's accounts of herself are true?

3. What is Charis's relationship with her daughter, Augusta?

4. Explain what has made Tony, Charis, and Roz friends.

5. In Chapter 1, who is the antagonist of the story and what helps identify that character as the villain?

6. Why is Tony a suitable narrator/chronicler of Zenia's story?

7. Describe the memorial service for Zenia after her supposed death in Lebanon.

8. Were Tony's parents happily married?

9. What information is revealed about Tony in Chapter 1?

10. Explain Roz's relationship with Boyce.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"The Robber Bride" contains a number of instances of foreshadowing. Cite three examples of foreshadowing and how this literary method is used to indicate events to come.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the concept of gender role reversal in "The Robber Bride." Give examples of how each of the following characters exhibits atypical role behavior for his or her gender in the novel: Boyce, Charis, Tony, and Roz. What do you think Margaret Atwood is trying to say about the role of women in society through these examples of gender role reversal? Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of war in "The Robber Bride." Give three examples of how the theme is woven into the story and discuss why you think the author chose the imagery of war and battle for this tale. Cite examples from the text to support your arguments.

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