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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 much is the rent for the Italian villa?

2. What is Mrs. Arbuthnot described as in Chapter 1?

3. Why does Mrs. Arbuthnot feel guilty in Chapter 4?

4. What does Mrs. Wilkins do in Chapter 1 that surprises her?

5. How does Mrs. Fisher react the Mrs. Wilkins' enthusiasm in Chapter 7?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Mrs. Arbuthnot come to the conclusion that both she and Mrs. Wilkins are miserable in Chapter 1?

2. What do Costanza and Domenico want from Lady Caroline in Chapter 8?

3. How do the two women go about finding other guests for their villa retreat? Why do they want to find more women?

4. What do Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot think of Lady Caroline's beauty in Chapter 6?

5. Who do Mrs. Arbuthnot and Mrs. Wilkins become increasingly uneasy about the trip in Chapter 4?

6. How does Mrs. Arbuthnot spend most of her time as explained in Chapter 2?

7. What disagreement do Mrs. Fisher and Mrs. Arbuthnot have in Chapter 7?

8. What does Lady Caroline think of Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot?

9. What sparks Mrs. Wilkins' and Mrs. Arbuthnots' debate about heaven?

10. What are some defining characteristics attributed to Mrs. Wilkins and Mrs. Arbuthnot in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze the character Mrs. Wilkins. What is her role in the novel and what are her defining character traits? How does she influence the other main characters? Describe her marriage. How does she grow as a character as the novel progresses?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the motif of loneliness. Who is lonely at the beginning of the novel and why? How does she (or they) open themselves up to others? How does she (or they) express their loneliness and desire for friendships?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze von Arnim's use of irony. What are some examples of irony in the novel? How do these examples affect the reader's experience when reading the novel?

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