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. What surprised Renee about her husband?

2. How is Paloma's mother is towards everything else besides the one important thing?

3. To what dog does Renee liken concierges?

4. What does Renee feel art does?

5. What does Paloma believe about life?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Paloma think of Maître Arthens?

2. What does Paloma decide to do after observing an interesting rugby player?

3. What does Paloma hear at a dinner party and what does it make her think?

4. When and why does Renee's formal education end?

5. What has Renee decided about phenomenology and how does she use Kant to come to this conclusion?

6. What does Paloma believe about life and why?

7. What filmmaker has Renee recently been introduced to and which film does she like of his and why?

8. What note does Renee receive and what astounds her about the note?

9. Why does Chabrot come to Renee's apartment?

10. What was Renee's marriage like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:

1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Muriel Barbery.

2. What in Barbery's background may have helped her in writing "The Elegance of the Hedgehog"? What may have influenced the way she depicts various characters and scenes?

3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. Who is/are the protagonists of the story and why?

2. Who is/are the antagonists of the story and why?

3. Which 3 secondary characters have the greatest impact on the plot?

4. Are any of the characters dispensable and which ones? Why or why not?

5. Do you think this is a character-driven plot or an action-driven plot? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

In Paloma's journal entries, it soon becomes clear that she feels persecuted by her sister and ignored by her mother, both normal teenager complaints. However, these complaints are compounded by Paloma's incredible intelligence and insight into the world. Paloma feels as if no one truly sees her or understands her, the opposite of what she claims is her reason for wanting to commit suicide, leading the reader to better understand that Paloma is a normal child with normal complaints, a child with similar emotional baggage to that which Renee carries around. These two characters clearly have a great deal in common.

1. Do you think Paloma is persecuted by her sister and ignored by her mother? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.

2. Discuss the dichotomy of Paloma not wanting to be in a "fishbowl" yet wanting people to see or understand her. Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.

3. Explain, with examples, why you think Paloma is or is not a fairly normal teenager.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 925 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample