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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. Who observes Jack's surgery as he is sewn back together after being attacked in the cornfield?

2. What gift does Samuel Heckler give Lindsey on the first Christmas after Susie's death?

3. What horrible act is described in Chapter 1?

4. Who is Nate?

5. When Susie was still alive, why is Ruth Connors reprimanded for her drawings in art class?

Short Essay Questions

1. After Susie's murder, Lindsey has a rough time at school. What is it about school that makes her so angry?

2. When Lindsey and Ruth are up late talking about Susie at the symposium, what does Ruth say her bad dreams are about?

3. What does Jack's breaking of the ships in the bottle symbolize?

4. When was the last time Mr. Harvey saw his mother?

5. While visiting Jack in the hospital, what does Lindsey try to do to comfort him?

6. How do the police respond to Jack's constant phone calls about Mr. Harvey?

7. Why does Jack become suspicious of Mr. Harvey's involvement in Susie's death?

8. When Samuel Heckler first meets the Salmon family, what does the reader learn about him?

9. What evidence does Jack give Detective Fenerman when he first calls to report Mr. Harvey as a suspect?

10. How do Buckley's family members respond when he mentions that he sees Susie all the time after her death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout The Lovely Bones, there are several situations where characters come to a realization about something, but not an acceptance about it. In a well-structured essay, discuss 1) the difference between realizing something and accepting it, 2) at least two situations/characters where this discrepancy is obvious, and 3) when, if ever, these characters come to accept something that they had earlier only realized.

Essay Topic 2

Ruth's relationship with Susie after Susie's death is in strong contrast to the relationship they had while Susie was still alive. Is the reader supposed to believe that Ruth has some kind of spiritual connection with Susie after she dies? Or is the reader supposed to believe that Ruth's connection with Susie is completely in her own mind? Use at least three specific examples from the text to support your position.

Essay Topic 3

As The Lovely Bones progresses, the Salmon family continues to unravel. Discuss the main reason why the family unravels, what exact moment the unraveling begins, and when the unraveling is completed. Make sure to use specific examples from the text to support your argument.

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