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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 Ellen Cherry characterize the new belly dancer?

2. Why does Turn Around Norman stop performing?

3. What does Spoon do to prove her locomotion to the other objects in Ellen Cherry's drawer?

4. Where does Can 'o Beans end up?

5. What surprises Spoon about Painted Stick's reception of her after she rejoins the other objects?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why does Patsy's question concerning second marriage bother Buddy?

3. Is there a reason why Dirty Sock is the only object left behind when the objects escape and never makes it to Jerusalem?

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

5. 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?

6. Describe what happens to Ellen Cherry when she plays the eye game looking at Spoon.

7. Without art and without Boomer, Ellen Cherry is beginning to feel that life is meaningless. What do you think Robbins is saying about the relationship between the meaning we give our lives and our endeavors and/or relationships?

8. Ellen Cherry is clearly upset by the disappearance of Spoon. Explain how you think she feels.

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

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

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

How does the historical perspective provided by the objects, Spike, and Abu influence the way we perceive the events of the story? Is the story be the same without Robbins' historical account and interpretation of the conflict in Jerusalem? In what ways is it different? Cite at least three specific examples where the historical background has a significant impact on the reader's understanding of the narrative.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the historical account in this novel, including Robbins' interpretations of the events with the generally accepted historical view. This requires some basic research. Be careful to limit your comparison to a manageable sequence of events. For example, do not try to track the entire historical background from the first temple to modern day Jerusalem. Choose a coherent part of the history detailed in the novel and limit yourself to that. You could, for example, choose to focus on the Jerusalem from the first temple to the second. Or, you might focus on the 20th century conflict between Israel and Palestine.

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This section contains 1,616 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample