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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 happens to end the meeting between Marcelle and the couple?

2. What does the narrator contemplate doing in Chapter 3?

3. What does the narrator ask of Marcelle?

4. Who catches the couple in the parlor in the beginning of Chapter 2?

5. How does the couple travel in Chapter 4?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the parents find out about the orgy, and what do the parents do when they discover what has occurred?

2. How does the narrator explain Marcelle's features as she gazes at the ocean?

3. In Chapter 3, the narrator contemplates suicide. Explain why, and what happens to change his mind.

4. How does the narrator equate sex and violence?

5. Explain the narrator's trip through the sanitarium.

6. Explain the mother's first encounter with the couple in their actions, and her reaction, as well as their reaction to the mother.

7. What does the couple see almost immediately after entering the sanitarium grounds, and how do they know this indicates Marcelle is involved?

8. How is the violence of the thunderstorm linked to the violence of the actions of Simone and the narrator in Chapter 1?

9. Explain what happens to Marcelle in Chapter 1.

10. Explain why, despite being modest, Simone and the narrator have the relationship they have?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the characters of the narrator and Sir Edmond. What are their similarities? What are their differences? What are the differences in terms of their relationship with Simone? How does each character change throughout the novel? What is the motive behind their actions and behaviors? Why does each continue to associate with Simone?

Essay Topic 2

There appear to be several references to religion in the novel, in terms of the teenagers and their complete lack of respect for anything bearing a religious meaning. Choose one reference that is anti religious in the story, and explain why you believe it was used in the novel. Some examples might be the forcing of the priest to urinate in the chalice, the narrator's note that the alter was a sensual place perfect for sex, the urination by Simone on the tomb of Don Juan, and any other reference. What statement did your choice make in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following topics to discuss:

1.) Many have criticized the novel as being pornographic without a cause. What do you think the ending moral of the story is? Do you believe the author had a purpose in writing the novel? If so, what was it? If not, why did he write the novel?

2.) There are several graphical scenes in the novel that use harsh, if not crude, words. Do you believe the author could have achieved his goals in writing the novel without such harsh language? Why or why not? What is the purpose of such language within the context of the book? Does it serve a purpose? If so, what is it? If not, why was it used?

3.) There are several references to very unusual sexual acts within the novel. Do you feel these references were necessarily graphic? Why or why not? Did these graphic depictions serve a purpose in the novel? If so, what was it? If not, why was the author so graphic in his depictions?

(see the answer keys)

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