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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 feature does Lizabeth find unusual about the intruder?

2. Why does Lizabeth say that she doesn't think the intruder is a murderer?

3. What about Matt's motorcycle concerns Lizabeth the most?

4. What does Matt think the letter contains?

5. What awakens Lizabeth after the dinner at which Jason spills his milk?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Lizabeth end up falling in wet cement at the construction site?

2. Matt's living room is nearly overtaken by a large, shiny, black Harley. Describe the symbolism of the Harley in this novel.

3. Aunt Elsie is determined to stay up and see the "pervert." Is her (im)patience rewarded? How does she react to his appearance?

4. What does Elsie's character add to the novel? How would it be different without her?

5. The novel starts with Lizabeth looking for a job at a construction site. What do you think the draw of a job in the construction industry would be to a woman like Lizabeth?

6. Why is Lizabeth surprised by Paul's request to take the boys for a two-week vacation?

7. When Lizabeth is awakened in the middle of the night by pebbles being thrown against her window, what does she imagine it to be?

8. Matt and Lizabeth discuss the flasher and his MO after his second appearance. As they try to figure out who he is, they come up with a couple hypotheses. What do they surmise about the flasher during this discussion?

9. How does Matt attempt to keep Lizabeth's mind off of her boys being gone?

10. What does the Elsie's Cadillac symbolize in the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Lizabeth is clearly struggling for independence and self-sufficiency. Everything she does seems to be based on these premises. What importance does this independence seem to hold for Lizabeth? Why is it so important to her? What do you think Matt represents to her when she first meets him and then further into the novel? Do you think that she feels threatened by his strength and apparent need to take care of her?

Essay Topic 2

Point of view can give important insight into a character. From what point of view is this novel written? Do you think that the story line would have been better served if written from a different point of view? If so, what point of view would you choose and why? If you find this point of view sufficient, how do you think it helps to develop the characters and the plot?

Essay Topic 3

Matt brings Lizabeth to his house for the first time. She is shocked and a bit overwhelmed by what she sees. How does the condition of Matt's house parallel the condition of his life? What do the objects in the house represent? What do the lack of objects one expects to see in a home represent?

(see the answer keys)

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