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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. Where does Andy Barbour’s family live?

2. Who is the housekeeper that Theo’s mother has to let go after Theo’s father leaves in Chapter 2: “The Anatomy Lesson”?

3. What is the name of Kotku’s older boyfriend in Chapter 6: “Wind, Sand and Stars”?

4. What does Theo describe as his greatest fear when he was four or five in Chapter 2: “The Anatomy Lesson”?

5. What is the name of the bar that Xandra manages on the Strip in Chapter 5: “Badr al-Dine”?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Theo come to be in possession of the ring and painting in Chapter 1: “Boy with a Skull”?

2. How is the arrival of Theo’s father described in Chapter 4: “Morphine Lollipop”? Who accompanies Theo’s father when he arrives?

3. How does the narrator describe his mother in Chapter 1: “Boy with a Skull”?

4. What does Theo learn about the red-headed girl in Chapter 4: “Morphine Lollipop”?

5. How does Theo describe the setting of Boris’s bedroom in Chapter 5: “Badr al-Dine”?

6. What is the significance of the dream that is described by the narrator in Chapter 1: “Boy with a Skull”?

7. Where does Theo meet Hobie in Chapter 3: “Park Avenue”?

8. What themes are central in Chapter 5: “Badr al-Dine”? How are these themes illuminated?

9. What do Theo and Hobie discuss on Theo’s first visit in Chapter 4: “Morphine Lollipop”?

10. How does Theo describe the sexual undertones of his friendship with Boris in Chapter 6: “Wind, Sand and Stars”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of aesthetic beauty and art in The Goldfinch. How is the value of art described and illustrated through the narrative? What does the painting The Goldfinch represent symbolically to Theo? Why? What characters in the novel appreciate art and aesthetic beauty?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the legalities of Theo’s situation following the death of his mother. Who would be the first person(s) in this situation to take guardianship of Theo? Why is Theo’s case complicated due to his father’ absence?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the theme of grief in the novel and discuss Theo’s thoughts and emotions upon learning of the death of his mother. How does Theo describe his sense of “numbness”? What imagery and symbolism does the author employ to help develop this theme?

(see the answer keys)

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