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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 does Marlowe believe is wrong with Earl?

2. What is Peter's job?

3. What color hair does Eileen have?

4. What kind of weapon is Terry holding?

5. Who calls Marlowe on the phone before Menendez can speak?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Marlowe think the case will pan out?

2. What does Lonnie say about the newspapers at the end of this section?

3. Why does Marlowe have trouble sleeping in the third section?

4. What do Terry and Marlowe plan in the opening section?

5. How does Eileen respond to Marlowe kissing her?

6. How does Marlowe help Terry at the end of the section?

7. How does Menendez know Terry?

8. Describe Marlowe's time at the police station.

9. What new information does Eileen give Marlowe in this section?

10. What were Marlowe's initial impressions of Terry?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the political side of the novel.

1) What does the book say about politics in America after World War II?

2) What were Chandler's political views and how does he express his views in the novel?

3) How did the 1973 film use Chandler's ideas to make a statement about 1970s society and politics?

Essay Topic 2

Examine Marlowe's friendship with Terry.

1) Why does Marlowe feel so close to Terry? Does Chandler develop their friendship enough for Marlowe's feeling to seem authentic?

2) In what does Marlowe's friendship with Terry show a different side to Marlowe?

Essay Topic 3

Look at the structure of the novel.

1) How does Chandler use character and dialogue to drive the narrative?

2) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the novel's themes?

3) Aside from the main character, examine the way Chandler uses the other characters in the story. When does he introduce and take them away from the story? What effect does it have on the story?

(see the answer keys)

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