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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 Grisini’s full name said to be in the Prologue: “Fire”?

2. What puppetry show do Lizzie Rose and Parsefall go to see in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 21?

3. What year is noted in the opening of Part One: “Fog”?

4. How much money has Dr. Wintermute been told to bring as ransom for his daughter in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 12?

5. When Cassandra looks into her mirror in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 7, she sees the faces of how many women?

Short Essay Questions

1. Whom does Clara encounter on her way to bed in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 5? How is this exchange described?

2. How is Lizzie Rose’s character described when she is introduced in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 2?

3. How is the meeting between Clara, Lizzie Rose, and Parsefall described in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 3?

4. What does Parsefall do with Clara in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 23? What are Clara’s impressions of this experience?

5. What causes the commotion that comes from downstairs at Mrs. Pinchbeck’s boarding house in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 8?

6. What part of Clara’s birthday party is she most looking forward to in the beginning of Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 1?

7. How do Lizzie Rose and Parsefall respond when learning of the tragedy that befell Clara’s siblings in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 3?

8. Where do Lizzie Rose and Parsefall go for their “evening out” in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 21? What are their impressions?

9. What is Cassandra doing when her character is first introduced in the Prologue: “Fire”? What is her principle concern?

10. What leads up to the physical confrontation between Lizzie Rose and Grisini in Part One: “Fog,” Chapter 15?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define “narrative point of view” in literature and identify the narrative style of Splendors and Glooms. Is the story related in first, second or third person? Is the story told in the past or present tense? How do these choices influence you as a reader? What impact do they have on the story itself?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the motif of puppetry in the novel. What do you think the puppets in the story represent symbolically? What imagery is used to describe the puppets? What is the history of puppetry as entertainment?

Essay Topic 3

What is the significance of the shared birth date between Cassandra, Marguerite, and Clara? Why does Cassandra try to summon Clara to her when she learns of this? What is the result?

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