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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 does the detective deposit Spoon after leaving the I & I?
2. Why is Ellen Cherry's visit to Ultima a relief?
3. Who warns Ellen Cherry about the probable result of destroying the Dome of the Rock?
4. What inspires or convinces the belly dancer to do the Dance of the Seven Veils?
5. How does Painted Stick move quickly?
Short Essay Questions
1. Describe the appeal of the belly dancer, Salome, to the male audience.
2. Why do you think that Robbins ends the novel with Spoon?
3. Is there symbolic significance in the event when Ellen Cherry, having determined to paint again, goes looking for Turn Around Norman and finds Buddy instead?
4. What is the effect of the high definition TV that Spike gave to the I & I?
5. Describe Ellen Cherry's feelings for Buddy after he tells her why he wants to destroy the Dome of Rock.
6. How can we interpret the fact that the ancient Salome performs the Dance of the Seven Veils in exchange for John the Baptiste's head and the modern Salome performs it because of Ellen Cherry's painting?
7. When Ultima and Ellen Cherry talk about art, Ultima says that some artists admit defeat and stop trying to be original. Ellen Cherry disagrees with this and says artists always strive for originality. Why do you think this conversation inspires her to begin painting again?
8. Describe what happens to Ellen Cherry when she plays the eye game looking at Spoon.
9. Describe the group of objects in Ellen Cherry's underwear drawer.
10. Throughout the novel so far, Ellen Cherry seems to be cosmically bound to the group of objects. As they try to escape, Buddy catches two of them. Which objects does he catch and is Buddy also cosmically connected to the objects? Why?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The question is raised early on by Ellen Cherry whether a person can really be passionate about two things at once. Can she, for example, be both an artist and a wife? Where do you think Robbins (or Ellen Cherry) ultimately falls on this question? State your position and use at least three supporting examples to argue it.
Essay Topic 2
All the objects, except Can 'o Beans, are given a gender. Provide an analysis of the objects in terms of gender and consider why Can 'o Beans is left genderless. What qualities do each object represent? Are these characteristics typically associated with the gender that object is assigned?
Essay Topic 3
How does nature figure into this novel? Consider the instances where people or objects come into contact with nature or natural forces. For example, when the objects are making their way to New York, they encounter several natural obstacles along the way. Do these events (or others that involve contact with nature) have a significance beyond their function in the plot? For example, is the natural world a place where things are possible that aren't in the city? Are the events individually symbolic?
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This section contains 1,672 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) |
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