View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What do people do to make a living in the village of St. Hilaire?

2. Who is the writer of the memo at the beginning of the book?

3. What is Everett Shed's job?

4. What is Maureen sick with the night Harrold proposes?

5. Where do Harrold, Maureen, and Caroline go the first week of December?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Harrold's physical appearance.

2. How does Mary "keep the fear at bay" on the first day at the cottage?

3. What does Maureen do when she goes to the general store in St. Hilaire?

4. Describe Willis Beal and his behavior at Mary's cottage.

5. What role does alcohol play in Maureen and Harrold's relationship?

6. How does Everett Shed describe the town of St. Hilaire and his role in it when he is interviewed by Helen?

7. How does Harrold's father treat Harrold and Maureen when they visit him in Rhode Island?

8. Explain why Maureen moves into Harrold's apartment.

9. What happens when Maureen takes Caroline and goes to her mother's house?

10. When is the first time Mary sees Jack Strout?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the relationship like between Jack and his wife? What is she suffering from? Why does he feel he can never leave her? In what way does that feeling change as the story evolves?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Mary choose St. Hilaire as a place to hide from Harrold? What does she come to feel about this place, especially the cottage by the water? Does she seem to heal while she is there? How so?

Essay Topic 3

What important lesson does Jack teach Mary about the abuse she has suffered? How does understanding this lesson give her confidence in herself to stand up to Harrold when he comes to the cottage?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 807 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample