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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. Approximately how many students does Riley say attend Park Hills High School?

2. What reason does Bec cite when telling Riley that her father travels a lot?

3. What does Riley tell their parents they want to do instead of attending the fundraiser?

4. What username does Riley use for their Bloglr account?

5. What name does Riley give to the center aisle of the lunchroom at Park Hills High School?

Short Essay Questions

1. With what question does Riley begin their very first blog post on page one of the novel?

2. What is the first clue Riley gets that a peer must know about Riley and Alix being one and the same?

3. Discuss the author's use of hyperbole to characterize Riley's voice.

4. How is foreshadowing used within Riley's mention of having "strange and pleasant dreams" (81) after thinking of Bec's hand on Riley's knee earlier in the evening?

5. When the girl contemplating suicide contacts Riley, what piece of Riley's advice does she take that leads to negative consequences?

6. What is the symbolism of the list of French names?

7. What clothing does Riley choose for the first day of public high school, and what is Riley hoping to accomplish with this choice?

8. What does Doctor Ann say about the act of "wondering if it's okay to be who you are" (110) and how do her comments relate to the novel's title?

9. How does the author demonstrate to the reader in Chapter One that Riley and his father Congressman Sean Cavanaugh are on different wavelengths throughout much of the narrative?

10. What adjective does Solo apply to Riley during their first meeting that causes Riley to glow with pleasure?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Trace the characterization arc of Riley's character throughout the novel. Discuss whether the protagonist is a round or flat character and whether the protagonist is a static or dynamic character.

Essay Topic 2

What is the novel's message concerning the link between courage and mental health?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the many instances of irony within the novel's narrative and analyze the author's purpose for including each instance you discuss.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,285 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample