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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. How does Painted Stick move quickly?

2. Who tells Ellen Cherry that Buddy is going ahead with his plan to blow up the Dome of the Rock?

3. What does the detective see in Ellen Cherry's apartment to make him suspicious?

4. What band member is added to the I & I band?

5. How does Ellen Cherry characterize the new belly dancer?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe what happens to Spoon when she falls out of the window.

2. Explain the conversation that Ellen Cherry has with Patsy on the phone the day after she sleeps with Spike.

3. Describe Ellen Cherry's feelings for Buddy after he tells her why he wants to destroy the Dome of Rock.

4. Why do you think that Robbins ends the novel with Spoon?

5. Describe the statue Boomer is making in Jerusalem and comment on its significance.

6. Describe the appeal of the belly dancer, Salome, to the male audience.

7. Explain the final revelation evoked by The Dance of the Seven Veils.

8. Why do you think Salome chooses to perform the Dance of the Seven Veils during the Super Bowl?

9. 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?

10. Explain the Vice President's concern regarding Buddy's plan to blow up the Dome of the Rock.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What position does the narrator, or the novel as a whole, take on organized religion? Explain the position and find at least three pieces of supporting evidence to show how you arrived at this conclusion. If you decide that the novel is critiquing organized religion, does it offer any alternatives?

Essay Topic 2

Explore the significance of the title. Ellen Cherry comments that Salome has skinny legs for a belly dancer. Why do you think that Robbins chose this as the defining moment of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Track the allusions to Wolfmother Wallpaper. Who or what is Wolfmother Wallpaper? What function do the allusions to Wolfmother Wallpaper play in the novel, if any?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,552 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample