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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 Nicole consider to be her security blanket?

2. Who does Dick see on the boat ride back to Europe?

3. Who is Nicole's sister?

4. Where does Dick actually go?

5. How does Nicole behave at the site of the car accident?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Abe North's death represent for Dick?

2. Why does Dick get upset at Beth's manipulations?

3. What happens to Dick at the end of the novel?

4. What is so surprising about Dick going to the aid of their friend, Mary North?

5. What is the Diver family's situation after Dick sells his portion of the clinic?

6. What does Tommy tell Nicole when they begin flirting with each other?

7. How does Dick behave counter to his feelings about Nicole?

8. What does Dick realize about his relationship with Nicole after being with Rosemary?

9. How does Dick's profession get in the way of his marriage?

10. How is Dick's marriage to Nicole compared to a patient's case?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Dick flirt with Rosemary and then toy with her emotions? Do you think Dick's ego is so fragile that he needs attention from anyone willing to oblige him? Even though Dick knows that he cannot indulge his instincts with Rosemary, he continues to play along. Why does Nicole tolerate this behavior from her husband? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the nature of Nicole's mental illness? Is it truly schizophrenia? Or has Nicole created her own safe world as a result of psychological damage done by her father's inappropriate behavior with her? What are Nicole's coping mechanisms?

Essay Topic 3

Dick calls the love between him and Nicole an "active" love. What does he mean by that? What does he hope Rosemary will understand by the description? What is so complicated about the love between Dick and Nicole? Is it different from the love between most married couples? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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