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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 city has Mr. Greenleaf gone to on business?

2. What is Dickie's hobby?

3. What is the name of the hotel Tom stays at in Rome?

4. What is Tom afraid of?

5. What is the name of the place Tom sees the man coming out of?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Tom want to prepare for meeting the Greenleafs for dinner?

2. What does Tom take as a good sign on the train to Naples?

3. Who does Tom meet in Rome?

4. What brings tears to Tom's eyes?

5. How does Tom kill Dickie?

6. How does Dickie react when Tom tells him his father sent him to bring Dickie home?

7. Who does Tom think is the man following him?

8. How does Tom know Charlie Schriever?

9. How does Dickie anger Tom in Chapter 10?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Ripley books greatly influenced modern literature and, in particular, crime books. Choose a book written after the novel that you think was influenced by it and discuss their similarities in terms of:

a) Plot

b) Character

c) Themes

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Highsmith's life. In what way do you think her life and personality are reflected in the book? In what ways is she like or unlike Tom Ripley?

Essay Topic 3

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) How does Highsmith use character and dialogue to drive the narrative?

2) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

3) Aside from the main character ,examine the way Highsmith uses the other characters in the story. When does she introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 751 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample