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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. Who becomes the sole heir to Uncle Gradelle's fortune?

2. To what does Florent liken the markets of Les Halles?

3. Florent never gives in to ______________.

4. Who is the only person who knows that Florent has escaped from Devil's Island?

5. Who owns the shop where Florent buys the food in #42?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the circumstances in which Florent assumes care of Quenu?

2. How do Florent and Quenu's lives change when they reconnect with their Uncle Gradelle?

3. What accounts for Quenu's lack of decisiveness and spoiled behavior?

4. What role does gossip play in the market?

5. What does Florent visualize at the beginning of Chapter 6?

6. Why does La Belle Lisa not tell Quenu about the police waiting to arrest Florent?

7. How did Florent's naivete lead to his downfall?

8. Why has La Belle Lisa grown weary of having Florent in her home?

9. What lessons must Florent learn in this "new" Paris?

10. What does Lisa do to try and satisfy her suspicions of Florent?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Zola uses more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two examples you can identify in the novel and note why they are examples of irony.

Essay Topic 2

Although the vendors live on the fringe of acceptable society, they take care of each other. What is the bond between the characters in Les Halles that makes them want to help each other even when others won't? Is there a common denominator among the Les Halles market society that they recognize themselves in each other? Explain some situations in the book where the Les Halles vendors exhibit humanity toward one another.

Essay Topic 3

Gluttony is an important theme in the story. Cite at least three examples of gluttony in the story and explain how each example supports your claim.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,041 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample