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. According to the quote attributed to Laura on the bathroom stall of the doughnut shop, where is heaven?

2. In chapter 12, what faux pas does Richard have to atone for?

3. Who is the man with his head on fire?

4. At the end of chapter 10, the woman imagines the man traveling by what mode of transportation?

5. Who gets custody of Sabrina after Aimee dies?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Laura say in chapter 11 that upsets Winifred?

2. Why is Laura kicked out of her school?

3. How does the woman respond to the suggestion that she leave her husband before the man goes overseas?

4. According to chapter 10, what is the political climate in Spain?

5. According to the article at the beginning of chapter 12, what are Richard's views about Germany?

6. On one of the articles, Richard warns his fellow Canadians about politics overseas. What does he warn them about?

7. How does Iris choose to respond to the message left by her sister?

8. In chapter 13, what revelation of Iris's sends Laura over the edge?

9. In chapter 12, what is the significance of the yellow curtains?

10. In chapter 11, how does Laura send Iris a message and what does this message look like.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Laura tells Winifred that marriage is not about love, it is about business. Do you think that the marriages in the novel support this view? Are there any loving marriages or are they all solely business arrangements? Is Laura right to find marriage outdated? Within the marriages that you classify as predominantly business arrangements, is there any elements of love? Do you think that the idea of relationships based on business rather than affection is confined to marriage? What other relationships in the novel are based on business rather than friendship or love?

Essay Topic 2

Iris often reflects on the idea of heaven and hell. At the end of the novel, Iris comes to a conclusion about heaven and hell very similar to the conclusion drawn by the men in the story of the Peach Women of Aa'A. What is this conclusion? Using this conclusion, look at the settings in the story and determine whether these locations are representative of heaven or hell. Also, be sure to examine the significance of gardens and fire in terms of heaven and hell, as well as the implications of literary allusions, such as the importance of the literary roots of Xanadu and Avilion and Iris's name in the context of the passage from the Aeneid Laura leavers for her sister? Be sure to consider ways in which places that appear to be heaven can actually be hell and vice versa.

Essay Topic 3

"The Blind Assassin" has a unique structure, incorporating Laura's novel, Iris's memoir, and newspaper clippings. Do you think that this adds or detracts from the novel? Why or why not? Give evidence from the text to support your position.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 891 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample