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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. In what year does Kay graduated from M.I.T?

2. What does Carriscant see in Cruz's home?

3. What does Kay do to gauge her mother's response?

4. What nationality is Carriscant's mother?

5. What motivates Kay to accompany Carriscant to Europe?

Short Essay Questions

1. What documentation is left of Kay's biological father?

2. What does Carriscant learn about the photograph of the woman and what does he want to do?

3. What does Salvador Carriscant say about his return to Manila in 1897?

4. Describe the feud between Carriscant and Isidro Cruz.

5. How does Carriscant feel about his marriage?

6. What does Carriscant show Kay after visiting Paton Bobby and what does he ask of her?

7. Why is Kay Fischer nearly bankrupt?

8. How does Kay conduct her investigation of Carriscant?

9. What does Kay's mother confirm about Kay's past?

10. What do Quiroga and Carriscant do for a Chinese boy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Blue Afternoon belongs to the novel genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the novel genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a novel and a history book?

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in The Blue Afternoon. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Boyd chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Boyd chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Boyd's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Boyd use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think The Blue Afternoon is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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