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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. How does Kakuro respond when Renee quotes from the book?

2. What does Paloma request of Renee?

3. What does Renee thinks offers more continuity in a house than conventional doors?

4. What overwhelms Paloma?

5. What arrives for Columbe?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Kakuro send Renee and what does she do?

2. With whom does Paloma have tea and how does she respond to the event?

3. How does Renee give herself away as far as her intelligence to the new tenant?

4. Why does Paloma displease a teacher at her school?

5. What fight does Paloma describe between her mother and another woman?

6. Why is Manuela happy about the new tenant?

7. Why does Paloma prefer her aunt and uncle over her own parents?

8. What does Paloma want of Renee when she comes to Renee's door at eight?

9. How does Renee obtain a dress for her date and what disturbs her about the dress?

10. What surprises Renee as she enters Kakuro's apartment and what does that make her consider?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many novels, and perhaps a majority, of novels ends on a happy note. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think many (most?) people want what they perceive as a happy or good ending to a novel? Explain your opinion. Do you? Why or why not? Did you feel that the vow Paloma makes at the end of the book is enough to consider it a happy ending in view of Renee's death? Why or why not?

2. What are three reasons to read fiction? Discuss each one in light of "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" and whether or not it fulfills all three, two or one of the reasons you mention. Give examples as to why "The Elegance of the Hedgehog" is or is not successful in fulfilling the reasons you discuss.

3. Do you think reading solely for entertainment is as good a reason to read as any other? Why or why not? Can any work of fiction or non-fiction, no matter how poorly written, enlighten, teach, stimulate thought? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

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 Elegance of the Hedgehog" is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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