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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 makes Paloma feel hope?
2. What does Paloma wonder what might be the true movement of the world?
3. What is one topic Renee and Kakuro discuss over dinner?
4. What does Renee ask Manuela to do?
5. What arrives for Columbe?
Short Essay Questions
1. What does Paloma want of Renee when she comes to Renee's door at eight?
2. What does Renee think about art in Chapters 10 and 11?
3. What does Kakuro send Renee and what does she do?
4. Why is Manuela happy about the new tenant?
5. What do Renee and Manuela discuss concerning Renee's upcoming dinner date?
6. What surprises Renee as she enters Kakuro's apartment and what does that make her consider?
7. What fight does Paloma describe between her mother and another woman?
8. What does Renee think is wrong with Columbe's thesis and why?
9. What does Renee think of Kakuro's bathroom and what surprises her about it?
10. Why does Paloma's mother take her to a therapist and what fascinates her about him?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
"The Elegance of the Hedgehog" 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 historical novel?
Essay Topic 2
One of the tenants of the building where Renee lives is dying. Renee is surprised by this man's unexpected illness and death, causing her to think about mortality and the meaning of life. Although Renee does not truly like any of her tenants, she admires Arthens because his clear affection for words. Renee also pities Arthens to a small degree because his only son is a drug addict. Paloma also finds herself thinking about mortality and the meaning of life. However, where Renee comes to the conclusion that art makes life worth living, Paloma finds multiple reasons why life is meaningless. Paloma points out numerous inequalities about life and uses them as reasons why she should continue with her plan to commit suicide.
1. Why do you think Arthens illness and dying has caused Renee to think about mortality and the meaning of life? Do you think most people feel this way when they find out someone they know is dying? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.
2. How do you think Arthens having a drug addict for a son is affected by that while he is sick? Do you think having a child who has severe problems might weaken a parent's immune system? Why or why not? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.
3. What are reasons Paloma might find many reasons to demonstrate life is meaningless, what are her reasons and explain why you do or do not agree with her reasoning. Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.
Essay Topic 3
Renee is not terribly impressed with most of the tenants, looking down on them because they are so filled with their own beliefs that they cannot see what is right in front of them. For this reason, Renee feels somewhat superior to the wealthy tenants of the building. Renee also tells the reader how she is mainly uneducated, only learning how to read because a teacher took special interest in the affection starved child she once was. This too is how Renee ended up married to her husband, because he saw past the masks and her ugliness to see the woman underneath. Renee feels that although her husband was not her intellectual equal, he was a good man and they had a good marriage.
1. Discuss reasons why Renee has formed her opinion of the tenants in her building. Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.
2. Do you think most people do not notice service people around them, such as concierges, store clerks, mail carriers, etc.? Why or why not? How might this affect these people? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.
3. What are the ways in which people could interact with others in order to see past the surface characteristics? Use examples from the book and your own life to support your reasoning.
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This section contains 1,181 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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