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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 Tom visit in Rome?

2. What drink does Tom order at the bar?

3. What color is the letterhead of Mr Greenleaf's letter?

4. What kind of job does Tom say Dick would have to come back to?

5. Where did Tom's parents drown?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Tom frightened of water?

2. Why does Carlo want two people to ride to Paris in a coffin?

3. What does Tom understand about Dickie in Chapter 8?

4. How does Dickie anger Tom in Chapter 10?

5. Why does Tom feel proud of the work he has done for Mr. Greenleaf?

6. What does Marge say in her letter to Dickie, dated January 4?

7. How does Dickie insult Tom in Chapter 12?

8. What lie does Tom tell Mr. Greenleaf?

9. How does Tom know Charlie Schriever?

10. In what way is Tom's new cap versatile?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What modes of communication are open to Ripley? How do the modes of communication Highsmith represents give the novel a sense of place and time?

Essay Topic 2

Pick two characters from the novel and discuss their goals and motives. Do they achieve their motives? Do they share similar goals and motives with other characters? Do their goals clash with other characters? How do the characters' goals and motives affect their interaction with each other?

Essay Topic 3

Why does Highsmith set the novel in Europe? How different was Europe to America in the fifties? How does Highsmith express these differences in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 652 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample