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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 does the couple fear will overtake Marcelle?

2. What does the narrator note Marcelle has become?

3. What does the narrator think when he first reaches Simone?

4. What stories does the narrator read aloud to Simone?

5. Who kills the first bull of the fight?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the scene in the pigsty in Chapter 9, and explain its significance.

2. In Chapter 6, the author purposefully italicizes the words "wide eyes" and "white eggs". What is the significance of this?

3. What does Marcelle seem to fear most at the end of Chapter 7, and what does the narrator realize this fear relates to?

4. What happens to Marcelle in Chapter 8, and why?

5. Explain the author's comparison between his own life and the crow of a rooster.

6. Why does the narrator claim he does not care for "normal" pleasures, and why even dirty pleasures have become unsatisfying?

7. Why does the narrator claim he believes Simone urinates on the corpse of Marcelle?

8. Explain how the death of Granero occurs, and the result of his death in terms of his eye.

9. Describe the sexual fantasy of Simone and the narrator about Marcelle in Chapter 6.

10. Explain what happens to Simone as she attempts to masturbate on the bicycle, and the narrator's initial reaction.

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

The novel begins with the discovery of unusual sexual practices by two teenagers, and ends with the murder and mutilation of a priest for sexual gratification. Discuss, in detail, the journey of Simone and the narrator, and discuss the events which led to their downward spiral into murder. Be sure to include the involvement of parents, other associates, and the activities participated in.

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 4, the narrator notes the curiosity that black-haired Simone wears a black garter belt and stockings, whereas blond Marcelle wears a white belt and stockings. This comparison, however, does far deeper than hair color and clothing choice. What is the author noting about the characters in this passage? Using the rest of the story, does this comparison hold true throughout the novel? Why or why not? What else can this comparison of light and darkness be used to represent? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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