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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. For what is the prize for high school students awarded?

2. What word does Richard use to describe the way he feels toward Iris?

3. What did Richard keep from Iris on their honeymoon?

4. Where does the protagonist of the novel within the novel keep the picture at which she looks in the prologue?

5. Which character is reputed to have authored 'The Blind Assassin'?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is it awkward between Liliana and Norval Chase when he returns from the war?

2. In chapter 4, how does the woman feel about the man's story?

3. On her deathbed, Iris's mother tells her to promise to do something for her. What does Iris promise her mother she will do?

4. How does Iris feel about the Laura Chase Memorial Prize?

5. How do Winifred and Richard treat the Chase sisters?

6. According to chapter 6, does the man enjoy writing science fiction stories?

7. At the end of chapter 6, the man is writing a story including characters X, Y, Z, and B. What is this story about?

8. Describe the relationship between the man and the woman in 'The Blind Assassin' sub novel in chapter 2.

9. How does Laura respond to living with Richard and Iris?

10. What is the fate of slave children who make the carpets in Sakiel-Norn?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many of the characters do things that they find repulsive or uncomfortable as a sacrifice for someone they love. Choose a sacrifice made by a character in the novel, explain the sacrifice and why the character made it and whether you agree or disagree with the character's decision. Be sure to explain your reasoning and answer such questions as: Did the sacrifice accomplish anything; did the person for which the character is sacrificing appreciate the sacrifice; does it matter if it is appreciated?

Essay Topic 2

Iris feels confined by her gender. She feels obligated to accept Richard's marriage proposal, she allows him to bully her because she believes she has no real power in their relationship, and remains married to him because she has no marketable skills. In the same way, the sacrificial virgins of Sakiel-Norn are doomed to a life of slavery and sacrifice. Do you think that Iris and Laura are confined by their gender or do they have the power to make their own decisions and escape from the expectations of the men around them? Compare and contrast the Sakiel-Norn virgins with the women in the main novel, incorporating at least two characters. You might want to include characters such as Iris, Laura, Reenie, Winifred, Liliana, Adelia, Aimee, or Myra. You can also incorporate the Peach Women of Aa'A if you so choose.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the relationship between author and story, and fiction and nonfiction as presented in the novel. Iris never explicitly mentions her affair with Alex within the memoir, while her meetings with him serve as the basis for the frame narrative of 'The Blind Assassin'. To what extent do you think 'The Blind Assassin' represents the reality of Iris and Alex's affair and to what extent do you think Iris fictionalizes the story? How does this relate to the novel as a whole? Do you think Atwood's novel is at all based in her own reality? Give examples to support your view from the text.

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