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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. Towards the end of this section, how does Sybil feel about her choices and quality of life?

2. What is Sybil puzzled by?

3. Which personalities does Teddy get to know?

4. For avid readers, what type of book is this?

5. How does Hattie take her behavior too far?

Short Essay Questions

1. Dr. Wilbur only sees a limited number of options for Sybil and her recovery. Explain what they are.

2. What causes the first dissociation that Dr. Wilbur can identify?

3. Explain what Willow Corners is to Sybil.

4. When the general population discusses mental disorders, they often judge people before they know all the facts about their particular disorder, or situation. Why is does the author clearly ask the reader to hold off judgment of Sybil in the book's Preface?

5. What brings on the appearance of Peggy Lou, the first personality to appear?

6. Who is the author of the book and how does she come to write Sybil's book? As the author writes, what tone does she immediately take for the book?

7. To the rest of the world what does Sybil seem to be?

8. What does Dr. Wilbur decide she must understand about Sybil's early life to cure her.

9. What parts of Sybil's life play into her disorder?

10. Sybil catches her parents having sex, and it scares her. Why does this severely scar Sybil?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout the novel, Sybil cannot understand why she must be integrated with all the selves.

1. Why must each self become fully integrated with Sybil?

2. How does Dr. Wilbur work to integrate each personality?

3. Why does she need the selves?

4. How is the creation of the different personalities different from the way other "normal" people handle trauma in their lives.

Essay Topic 2

1. Describe Sybil's relationships with the following men:

Teddy

Ramon

2. Compare and Contrast Sybil's relationship to teddy to her relationship with Ramon. Is it more important to Sybil that her romantic interests know about her other selves? Why or Why not? Use specific examples to justify your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

Although Hattie Dorsett does most of the torture towards Sybil, her father and grandmother are just as responsible for Sybil's condition.

1. How does passivity of Willard harm Sybil?

2. How does passivity of her grandmother harm Sybil?

3. How does the passivity of Sybil's neighbors and friends harm Sybil?

(see the answer keys)

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