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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the lover pass on to the narrator on their last sexual encounter?

2. How does the relationship between Hélène Lagonelle and the narrator end?

3. How old is the lover when the relationship with the narrator begins?

4. Who decided that the narrator's family should move to France?

5. Who does the narrator believe never knew the pleasure of sex?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Identify the members of the family and describe their role in family life. What dynamic does each character bring to impact the family as a whole?

Essay Topic 2

Look at the character of the older brother. Regardless of his bullying and wastrel ways, he is the favorite of the mother. What aspects of family life lead him to act the way that he does? How could the mother have affected his life if she had chosen to treat him differently? Is his attitude and personality connected to his later life? What happens to the older brother in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

The author chooses to write her novel in a form of narrative style that shifts back and forth in time. What are the effects of this kind of writing? How does this narrative style aid the reader in the comprehension of the novel? Is this type of narrative style ineffective for writing a novel dealing with such a lengthy period of time?

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This section contains 286 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample