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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 Ellen Cherry decide is the root of Buddy's "hankering for apocalypse"?
2. What inspires or convinces the belly dancer to do the Dance of the Seven Veils?
3. What does Ellen Cherry agree to do that pleases Spike while he's visiting her apartment?
4. Who convinces Buddy to give up his plans to blow up the Dome of the Rock?
5. How does Painted Stick move quickly?
Short Essay Questions
1. Explain the final revelation evoked by The Dance of the Seven Veils.
2. What is Uncle Buddy's reasoning for attempting to blow up the Dome of the Rock?
3. Why do you think that Robbins ends the novel with Spoon?
4. Describe what happens to Spoon when she falls out of the window.
5. Describe the statue Boomer is making in Jerusalem and comment on its significance.
6. Robbins says that Conch Shell plays a major role in encouraging Painted Stick to venture out and find the ocean, but all she does is look out the window. In what way do you think she provides encouragement to Painted Stick?
7. 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?
8. 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?
9. Painted Stick strikes a human in order to save Spoon from being picked up. Explain why he feels so bad about this.
10. Describe what happens to Ellen Cherry when she plays the eye game looking at Spoon.
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
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?
Essay Topic 2
Compare the contrast the two radically different political positions represented by Spike and Abu on the one hand and Buddy on the other. What do they each think about the conflict in the middle east? How do their ideas, both about it's background and the best possible resolution to the conflict, differ? Consider the problem or issue of interpretation in history.
Essay Topic 3
Work out a detailed character analysis of Buddy. Consider his political and religious views, his actions, his desires, his past, his physical appearance, and his voice. Is he a consistent character? Can you discover some hint of his psychological condition? What leads him to his radical views? Does he strike you as a realistic character? How does his personality play into the action of the novel?
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This section contains 1,691 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) |
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