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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 did Arthens' son once ask Renee?

2. What does Paloma feel about her true person?

3. What was Renee's husband like?

4. What does Paloma think is the only thing important to her mother?

5. Who watched Neptune and Athena attempt this?

Short Essay Questions

1. About whom do Renee and Manuela gossip when they are having tea?

2. Who is Manuela and what does she want to do?

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

4. How does Madame de Broglie injure her ankle?

5. What do the Renee's clients believe about concierges and how does Renee try to project their image of the average concierge?

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

7. What causes Renee to reflect on the meaning of life and what is her conclusion?

8. Describe Renee Michel.

9. How does the young man who mentions Marx react to Renee's suggestion, and what is Renee's response?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if it is a successful novel.

3. Do you think the criteria for a successful novel should be different if it is written for adults versus young adults? Why or why not? Would most adults consider "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" a successful novel? What about young teens?

Essay Topic 2

Renee Michel is a highly intelligent woman who has had the misfortune of being born poor. Renee has it in her mind that poor people are not supposed to be intelligent, therefore she hides her intelligence from the people around her, going to great lengths to create an appearance that shows lack of intelligence and imagination as well as a general disinterest in the world around her. To the contrary, Renee is quite intelligent, taking great joy from reading literature and philosophy, as well as watching artistic movies and studying great art. Renee is a complex person who hides her intelligence behind a mask to keep the world from intruding on her carefully created world.

1. Discuss, in depth, the reasons Renee might think being poor excludes intelligence. Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.

2. Pretending that Renee is your friend, write a letter to her explaining to her what you see are the problems with the way she hides herself. Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.

3. Discuss possible reasons that often poor people are seen as less intelligent than others. Include in your discussions factors such as low birth weight, poor diet, lack of access to quality education and social and environmental reasons. Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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