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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. Who does Lord Horn want to help him with Richard?

2. Does Richard tell Michael who ordered the challenge?

3. Who accepts Richard's challenge against Michael?

4. Who follows Alec when he leaves the theater?

5. How does Richard respond to his friends who don't want him to see the performance?

Short Essay Questions

1. For what reason does Richard claim he killed Lord Horn?

2. What letter do the kidnappers ask Alec to write to Richard?

3. How does Basil Halliday react to the news of Lord Horn's death?

4. What does Richard think about the audience at the performance he and Alec go to?

5. Describe the game played at the Duchess's party in Chapter 19.

6. How does the Duchess see her relationship with Lord Ferris?

7. How does Lord Horn respond to Alec?

8. What does Katherine think she recognizes about Alec?

9. What is Richard and Alec's last night together like?

10. What allows Richard to win the duel in Chapter 16?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The main characters of the novel are gay lovers. Discuss gender and sex in the novel.

1) How does the society of the novel view bisexuality and homosexuality? Are Alec and Richard accepted as lovers? Why or why not?

2) How do the different classes of the society view sex differently? How do they view promiscuity as well as homosexuality?

3) What role does the fact that Alec and Richard are the same gender play in the novel? Does it make a difference?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the characters' values in the novel.

1) What are the values of the lower class? What do they find important?

2) What are Richard's values and how do they drive his actions? What are Alec and Katherine's values?

3) What are the values of the upper class? What do Lord Horn, Lord Ferris, and the Duchess value?

4) What does Basil value, and how do his values differ from other nobility? What about Michael? What does he value?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the novel's point of view.

1) Why does the novel move between different characters' points of view? What different perspectives does it give the reader?

2) What are the primary characters whose points of view are shown in the novel? Find a character who never takes the narrative point of view. Why is this character excluded?

3) How much does the reader's perspective change as the point of view switches between different characters or areas of the society?

(see the answer keys)

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