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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 month does Maureen go into labor?

2. Who is Muriel Noyes?

3. Where does Harrold's father live?

4. How old is Willis when he first meets Mary?

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

Short Essay Questions

1. What is one trait of Harrold's that Maureen admires?

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

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

4. What happens when Maureen goes into labor?

5. How does Harrold react when Maureen has a cold and indicates she wants to be by herself one evening?

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

7. Why does Maureen change her name to Mary when she is signing the hotel register?

8. How does Julia Strout describe Mary to the reporter Helen Scofield?

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

10. What is one positive memory of Mary's childhood in Chicago?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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 3

Why does Helen want Caroline to know the truth of her mother's story? In what way does she feel guilty about her role in Mary's imprisonment? What does she hope to achieve by giving Caroline money? Is she ashamed of her ambition and greed now that she looks back?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 760 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample