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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 Catherine point out to Tom in his house that connects to part of hers?

2. Who is Molly Perkins?

3. What is the name of the deputy whose job it is to take pictures of the scene?

4. Who are Catherine's neighbors?

5. What is Catherine doing out at the tenant shack?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the change in Catherine's character in Chapter 11? Does her personality seem to change at all? Who notices?

2. Who does Randall fear that Leona may have blackmailed and why? How would Leona have gotten this information?

3. Why does Leila want to hide any evidence of her presence in Tom's house? What do she and Catherine do to accomplish this? Why does Catherine help and lie for her?

4. How did Catherine feel about Leona Gaites?

5. Who is interested in Tom Mascalco? Why does this person confide in Catherine? What is this person's reaction to Catherine and Tom's friendship?

6. Describe the discovery of Tom's body. What is Catherine's reaction and her emotional state? Who else is in Tom's house and why?

7. Is Sheriff Galton suspicious of Catherine? Why would he be suspicious of her? What is his advice for her?

8. Why does Carl Perkins come to see Catherine at the Lowfield Gazette on Tuesday? What is notable about their conversation?

9. What does Catherine notice about Carl Perkins' appearance in Chapter 9? What does she assume it has to do with?

10. Describe Molly Perkins' apparent emotional state when Catherine pays the Perkins a visit in Chapter 9. Why does Catherine believe she is acting the way she is? What does Carl tell Catherine is Molly's reason for acting strangely?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Symbols are commonly used in literature to represent an idea or feeling that the author chooses to be present in the novel. For example, in "Sweet and Deadly," a couple of the symbols used include the dun colored dog and the baseball bat used to commit the crimes. The dog can be seen as the symbol for the "circle of life" that Catherine and Randall talk about a few times and the baseball bat can identify the hostility of the killer. Use these symbols and provide other examples from the novel and answer the following questions. What do the symbols in the novel stand for? How? What do the symbols promote or convey to the reader in the novel? How does the author use the symbol to convey an idea and why does she use the symbol instead of simply stating her idea?

Essay Topic 2

Explore the character of Carl Perkins. How does this character present himself in the novel? What clues can Catherine look back on concerning her interactions with Carl to determine that he is in fact the murderer? Discuss Carl Perkins' motives for committing the murders. Would you say that Carl is the typical culprit in a murder mystery?

Essay Topic 3

The pace and structure of mystery novels, in most cases, are very similar. The novel has a structure that attempts to hold the reader in suspense, while the novel's pace is usually quick to promote that suspense. Are those same elements present in "Sweet and Deadly?" Describe the structure and pace of the novel using examples from the book to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

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