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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 does Marie Arnoux do with the roses that her husband gives her at her party?

2. To whom does Frederic suggest the portrait he commissions be given?

3. Who is the host of the costume party to which Arnoux invites Frederic?

4. Which character does Frederic commission Pellerin to paint a life-size portrait of?

5. What characteristics does Pellerin decide are more important in art than Beauty and Unity?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the narrator describe Monsieur Dambreuse in Chapter 3? What does he look like? How does he interact with Frederic during their meeting?

2. What is the title of the novel that Frederic begins writing? Who are the main characters? What is it about?

3. Who is Dussardier? Why is he taken to prison? What does Frederic give him to replace his most prized possession?

4. Who is the host of the costume party to which Arnoux brings Frederic? What is this person's relationship to Arnoux?

5. What is Madame Moreau's background? What aspirations does she have for her son?

6. What is the relationship between Frederic and Deslauriers? How did it begin? What planes do they have for the future?

7. Where is the protagonist when the novel begins? What does he look like and what does he have with him?

8. When Frederic and Deslauriers begin living together in Chapter 5, what is their relationship like? How do they divide the labor and costs of living?

9. What kind of trouble does Frederic discover Arnoux is experiencing? With whom does he discuss this? What does he learn?

10. What are Jacques and Marie Arnoux arguing about when Frederic arrives? How does witnessing this argument affect Frederic's feelings for Marie?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of nostalgia in A Sentimental Education. Which characters express nostalgia for the past? What are they nostalgic for? How does nostalgia relate to the overall message of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the narrator of A Sentimental Education. From what perspective is the novel narrated? How does this affect the major themes of the novel? How does the narrator relate to literary realism?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the symbol of the cashmere shawl in A Sentimental Education. What does this item represent? What does this purchase imply about Jacques Arnoux? How does this aspect of his personality affect his relationship with his wife?

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