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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 the name of the lady that visits with Hagar at Silverthreads nursing home?

2. How does Hagar refer to the house when her, Marvin, and Doris leave Silverthreads?

3. What did the young people do in the Manawaka winters?

4. After getting married, what was Hagar waiting for at the Shipley place?

5. What is the stone angel?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Hagar see John's character flaws? How does this compare her to the stone angel?

2. Hagar's father's comments, as well as Lottie Dreiser's about Bramptom Shipley, only seem to fuel Hagar's idea to be with him. Why do you think that is?

3. What purpose does Doris serve and how is she contrasted against Hagar?

4. Describe some differences Hagar sees in Marvin and John.

5. How is Hagar's wild and headstrong nature depicted in Chapter 2?

6. What is the role reversal that takes place between Hagar and Lottie Drieser?

7. Hagar is obviously unwilling to give in to death. How is that seen in Chapter 3?

8. Describe the imagery between Hagar and the weeds and wild flowers at the cemetery.

9. Do you think Hagar's feelings about going to the nursing home are similar to other elderly people? Why or why not?

10. Why is Hagar frustrated by her brother Matt's death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast how Hagar views John and Marvin at birth, as children, and as men. Describe how John and Marvin really are, and how Hagars blindness in symbolic to the stone angel's.

Essay Topic 2

History repeats itself. In what ways is Arlene making the same mistakes Hagar made at her age?

Essay Topic 3

Compare John Shipley to his father Bram.

Part 1) In what ways are they alike in the beginning?

Parts2) How are they more alike toward the end of the novel?

Part 3) When do you think Hagar notices their similarities?

(see the answer keys)

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