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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 is one mistake Alexandra makes at the ball?

2. What does Alexandra send Penrose to do?

3. How does Alexandra feel after the picnic with Jordan?

4. Where does Alexandra go when she gets home from the ball?

5. What does Alexandra anticipate from Jordan that she does not get?

Short Essay Questions

1. What increases Fawkes' belief that Alexandra and Anthony are plotting to kill Jordan?

2. What does everyone not know about Jordan at the time of Alexandra's coming out ball?

3. Why is Alexandra's status as a young, desirable widow worrisome to the Dowager Duchess?

4. What does the Dowager finally ask of Anthony and what is his response?

5. How does Jordan learn the truth about Alexandra's behavior while he was imprisoned?

6. What two small mistakes does Alexandra make on the night of her coming out?

7. What does Alexandra do that upsets Jordan the next morning and what does he order her to do?

8. How is Anthony and Alexandra's marriage halted just before the pronouncement of husband and wife?

9. What does Anthony tell Alexandra that begins her getting over grieving Jordan?

10. Why does Jordan postpone his official duties for the day?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

McNaught chooses to write the novel as a third person, impersonal narrator. Discuss the following:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this novel being written in the third person, omniscient narration?

2. Do you think the novel would be more effective in a different point of view? Which one if so? If not why do you think the impersonal narrator works the best?

3. When do you think an author is most likely to use the first person point of view? Second person? Third person omniscient? Third person limited?

4. Do you think the narrator in Something Wonderful is reliable, i.e., do you believe the narrator is completely unbiased? Explain your response.

5. What is your favorite point of view to read? Or do you have a favorite.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Define irony in literary terms. Discuss the irony of the situation whereby when Alexandra begins to pry into Joran's life, she sees that there is more to him than meets the eye.The irony in this is that Jordan is thinking the same thing of her. Discuss two other incidences of irony in Something Wonderful.

2. Define symbolism in literary terms. Discuss the use of and meaning of five symbols found in Something Wonderful.

3. Discuss the use of foreshadowing in literature. What is the purpose of foreshadowing? Cite 3 examples of foreshadowing and how it is used to indicate events to come in Something Wonderful.

Essay Topic 3

The topic of marriage is woven throughout Something Wonderful. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss the following attitudes toward marriage that the following characters seem to take: Alexandra (both at the beginning of the novel and at the end); Jordan (both at the beginning of the novel and at the end), Lady Catherine Harrington, Jordan's mother, Mrs. Lawrence and The Dowager Duchess.

2. How do you think the characters listed above would view marriage if they had similar personalities but lived in the 21st century United States?

3. If you were someone who knew nothing of England and her social customs of the time and took a couple years to observe its people, what would you say about the institution of marriage in England at the time (early 1800s)?

(see the answer keys)

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