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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 Deanna now incorporating in her journal?

2. When does Deanna's mother visit her in Deanna's room?

3. What does Deanna reveal to Lee as they are having pizza?

4. How old is the person in the car with Deanna?

5. What does Deanna let slip while talking to Stacy?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Deanna and Lee become friends?

2. Describe the incident when Deanna was thirteen and she felt drawn to Tommy.

3. What happens with Deanna when she is thirteen?

4. How does Deanna describe Stacy?

5. Who interrupts the assault on Deanna and how is he treated?

6. What happens to Deanna on the last day of school three years after the incident with Tommy?

7. How does Deanna respond to Lee's dilemma?

8. What does Tommy invite Deanna to do that reminds her of a time she felt drawn to him?

9. Who is April and how do Darren and Stacy support her and where do Darren and Stacy live?

10. What argument does Deanna overhear?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The narrative's thematic interest in honesty and vulnerability comes to the forefront in this section. The narrative here creates the sense that because Deanna has set the future course of her life in motion (i.e. discovering her capacity to be honest and acting to build on the sense of healing freedom that she feels as the result of being honest), there is room for other possibilities for fulfillment to emerge. Her cleaning her room is a metaphoric externalization / representation in her life.

1. Discuss the relationship between honesty and vulnerability. Use examples from Story of a Girl and your own life to support your answer.

2. What possibilities to you think might emerge in Deanna's life? Use examples from Story of a Girl and your own life to support your answer.

3. Discuss how cleaning her room is a metaphor for Deanna's changes in her life. Use examples from Story of a Girl and your own life to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character, wondering if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Story of a Girl help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Story of a Girl? Why or why not.

3. Choose one specific incident in Story of a Girl to discuss and compare the character's response to how you think you would respond.

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in Story of a Girl. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Zarr chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Zarr chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Zarr's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Zarr use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

(see the answer keys)

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