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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 Tamar reveal to Jean?

2. What does Gulliver do with the snail he finds in the trains?

3. What country do Duncan and Jean move to?

4. What does Tamar begin to question in this section?

5. What member of Lily's family does she say possessed a power over snails?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are Duncan and Jean finding life together difficult?

2. What news does Duncan hear from Crimond?

3. Why does Gulliver decide to leave Lily?

4. What do Rose and Gerard think about past events?

5. What do Rose and Gerard regret when they leave each other?

6. What is Crimond's real reason for challenging Duncan to a game of Russian Roulette?

7. How does Tamar confront her mother?

8. Why does Tamar decide to reconcile with her mother?

9. In what way is Jean and Duncan's marriage doomed?

10. How does Jenkin die?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What are the arguments for and against Marxism? What are Murdoch's opinions on Marxism and how does she express them? Do you agree or disagree with Murdoch?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the novel's dialogue. How does the author's dialogue contribute to the following areas?

1. Character

2. Setting

3. Plot

Essay Topic 3

Discuss elements of the narrative structure; Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

(see the answer keys)

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