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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. With whom has Marina been consulting about her manuscript?

2. Who is the old friend that Murray meets for a drink?

3. Who is Murray's sister?

4. Where does Bootie decide to go after leaving Watertown?

5. What news does Marina giddily deliver to Danielle?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Murray's wife and what is her profession?

2. What is Murray's philosophy on life since he was able to escape the banality of his childhood home?

3. What does Murray do to try to advance his flirtation with Danielle?

4. What does David represent to Julius when he meets him while on a work assignment?

5. What are Danielle's feelings about her mother?

6. Why is Danielle Minkoff in Australia and who does she meet there?

7. How do Murray and Marina deal with the issue of the dead cat?

8. Describe how Ludo takes on greater importance in Marina's life and what he tries to convince her to do regarding her father.

9. How does the author use the literary technique of foreshadowing in this section?

10. What are Bootie's plans for his arrival in Manhattan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Being caught off guard is an important theme in THE EMPEROR'S CHILDREN. Can you cite an example to support this theme? Name two other themes and cite examples to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Create a character study of Murray. What are his physical characteristics? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What are his dreams? What else can you say about Murray?

Essay Topic 3

Does Messud end the story on a note of hope for Danielle, Marina and Julius, or will they continue to struggle with their relationships and hopes for their lives? Give your perspective and two reasons to support your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 789 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample