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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 choice does Marlowe give the woman he meets at the Peacock Lounge?

2. Who do the Graysons suspect Dr. Almore of having an affair with?

3. What nationality is the boy who comes into the Peacock Lounge to sell papers?

4. What does Patton say about his stomach?

5. Where does Degarmo write down the information Marlowe gives about his client?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Marlowe, why did Muriel Chess have an affair with Lavery?

2. How does Degarmo react when Marlowe tells him about Mrs. Fallbrook?

3. What does Dobbs say he's going to charge Marlowe with?

4. What does Webber do, when Marlowe tells him about being threatened by Degarmo?

5. After Patton shoots at Degarmo, what does Degarmo do?

6. How does Marlowe get out of the apartment at the Granada?

7. How does Degarmo react to Marlowe mentioning the idea that Almore murdered his wife and then used his influence to get it hushed up?

8. What important information does Marlowe gain from Captain Webber?

9. Why is Marlowe surprised that Mrs. Kingsley would need money from her husband?

10. What does the parking attendant at the Grenada assume Marlowe is there for?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Lady in the Lake has multiple antagonists who have different goals. Discuss the antagonists in the novel.

1) What antagonists in the novel are obvious and what antagonists are hidden? How do multiple antagonists function in the genre to create mystery and conflict?

2) Discuss Degarmo and Mildred Haviland as antagonists. What different roles do they fill?

3) How do the police function as antagonists?

Essay Topic 2

The story behind The Lady in the Lake is one of relationships: husbands and wives, lovers, and jealous rivals. Discuss relationships in the novel.

1) What do men and women want from relationships in the novel?

2) Discuss Lavery's relationships. Who is Lavery? What do women want from him? What does Lavery expect out of relationships?

3) Do romantic relationships lead to happiness in the novel? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The mystery in the novel is created through deception. Discuss deception in the novel.

1) How are appearances deceptive in the novel? How does Marlowe deal with and untangle deceptive appearances?

2) How do characters in the novel deceive each other? What are the motives for deceit?

3) In what ways is Marlowe deceptive? Why? Is deception merely an ethically neutral tool, or is it a bad thing?

(see the answer keys)

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