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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 happens in Chapter 16?

2. What is one topic Renee and Kakuro discuss over dinner?

3. What bothers Renee a little about the dress Manuela borrows for her?

4. Who calls Kakuro?

5. Who is Paul Nguyen?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Paloma feel and think when she hears her school choir singing?

2. What do Renee and Manuela discuss concerning Renee's upcoming dinner date?

3. What happens when Renee goes to the cleaners to retrieve the beige dress?

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

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

6. What does Manuela tell Renee about Kakuro's apartment, and what is Renee's response?

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

8. What does Renee think of Kakuro's bathroom and what surprises her about it?

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

10. What does Kakuro want when he comes to Renee's apartment, and what is her response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in "The Elegance of the Hedgehog". Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Barbery chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Barbery chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Barbery's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, cliffhangers, deux ex machina, etc.), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Barbery use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme.)

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in "The Elegance of the Hedgehog".

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of this book. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of "The Elegance of the Hedgehog". How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 3

"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?

(see the answer keys)

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