View a FREE sample

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 splash on the front of Freddie's shirt?

2. What does Tom say is his only regret?

3. What name have Dickie's belongings been found under?

4. What do the banks suspect?

5. Whose death does Tom tell the Greenleafs about?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Mr. Greenleaf write in his letter to Tom?

2. What lies does Tom tell McCarron?

3. Why does Marge think that Dickie's signature must have changed?

4. Why can Tom not tell Marge what he really thinks about the party?

5. How does Tom raise the police's suspicions?

6. How does Mr. Greeleaf react when Marge tells him about Dickie's rings?

7. Why do the police want to know where Tom Ripley is ?

8. What information does McCarron want from Tom?

9. What did a man see outside of Dickie's apartment?

10. Why does it frighten Tom that he has to go to Naples to verify Tom's signature in person?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Highsmith writes the THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY in the third person. Why do you think Highsmith chose to write the story in the third person? How do you think the meaning of the story would have changed if Highsmith wrote it in the first person?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Examine the novel's chronological setting.

1) What were the main concerns during the 1950s? How does Highsmith express these concerns?

2) In what ways do you think the novel's meaning would change if it were set in today's society?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 760 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample