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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. Where is Ellen Cherry in the section of the book called The Fourth Veil?

2. What resolve does Ellen Cherry make with regard to her art as a result of Boomer's successful art show?

3. What is Boomer afraid of?

4. What does Ellen Cherry want to paint after she finishes painting mountains?

5. Who sends Ellen Cherry flowers?

Short Essay Questions

1. At the end of this section, Buddy avoids getting a speeding ticket by using his saxophone voice and preaching to the police officer. Is this realistic and why do you think Robbins includes it in the story?

2. Describe Abu Hadee's history, as it's recounted in "The Fourth Veil"?

3. Robbins writes, "Those people who recognize that imagination is reality's master, we call 'sages', and those who act upon it, we call 'artists.'" What do you think he means by this and why is the distinction important?

4. Describe why Boomer says he feels guilty about his success as an artist.

5. All of the objects are given a gender except Can 'o Beans. Why is this significant?

6. What do we learn about Buddy and Verlin when they forcefully remove Ellen Cherry from her art class?

7. Can 'o Beans says that "imprecise speech is one of the major causes of mental illness in human beings." What do you think is meant by this?

8. One of Abu Hadee's favorite quotes is "A shadow does not belong to the object that casts it." What do you think of the significance of this? How does it relate to the rest of the novel so far?

9. The first line in this section is "the pendulum swung yet again." It is referring to Can 'o Beans account of religious history. What does this suggest about religion?

10. Why do you think that Ellen Cherry wants Boomer to call her "Jezebel" when they are intimate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the lessons revealed by each veil. Track that theme throughout the book, finding specific examples where it is explored by one or more characters and/or the narrative progression. Is there a linear development, where the character's perception changes over the course of the novel? Or is it simply elaborated and clarified? Does the lesson you chose seem specific to one character or do multiple characters reveal different aspects or possibilities?

Essay Topic 2

Compare the two stories of Salome. How does the ancient version of Salome compare to the modern version? The ancient Salome performs the Dance of the Seven Veils in exchange for John the Baptist's head on a plate. The modern Salome dances in response to Ellen Cherry's mural during the Super Bowl.

Essay Topic 3

Consider where all the objects end up. Painted Stick and Conch Shell are hiding and waiting for the third temple. Can 'o Beans is left to rust. Spoon is picked up by Boomer and returned to Ellen Cherry. Dirty Sock is still stuck in the Manhattan cathedral. Do their final locations have some kind of symbolic significance? How is each location and/or condition in which the objects are left meaningful in the context of the novel's themes?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,456 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample