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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. Who did M send to L and Brett to get a list of items they might need from the nearest town?

2. Who is Kurt?

3. What word does the narrator use to describe the writer with whom she spent her last night in Paris?

4. Why did Brett want M to buy new bed linens?

5. Though Tony's adopted parents never spoke of his origins, what did M suspect they were?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the narrator speaking to at the start of the novel? What does she say happened while on a train in Paris?

2. In what ways did L and Tony's early experiences with death manifest differently in each man?

3. What does the narrator say her first experience with L coincided with? What did she think L's visit would do in terms of her recovery?

4. What issue did Brett have with the bed linen in the second place? What did she want M to do?

5. How did Kurt help M when trying to explain what Justine and Kurt needed to move into the main house so L could stay in the second place?

6. What do readers learn about Tony's backstory in the third chapter?

7. How does the narrator describe the man she met on the train in Paris? What was he doing? Why did she not say something?

8. Describe L and M's first interaction the morning after he arrived at the second place. How did she feel about him? How did he make her feel?

9. How old was L when he first became famous? What did his critics find shocking about his early work?

10. Where was L when M first wrote to him? What did he say about the idea of being alone? Where did he say he felt most alone and free?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay examining the cabin in the North Hills as a symbol in Second Place. In what scenes does the cabin appear? What is the context? How does the cabin develop the narrative?

Essay Topic 2

Write a detailed analysis of tone in Cusk's Second Place. Include whether the tone changes or remains the same. If it changes, include details on when, why and whether this change is effective.

Essay Topic 3

Choose a character and discuss their role in creating conflict in the story.

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