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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 is NOT a symptom of her father's dwindling financial status listed by Nella?

2. From what language does Johannes say the dogs' names are culled?

3. How much younger does Nella decide she is than Marin?

4. When Nella realizes that she has not sent her unwanted items along with the note to the miniaturist, what does she do with them?

5. What does Nella do when she sees Johannes engaged in a sex act with someone else?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Nella's expectations of Marin's reaction differ from Marin's real reaction when Nella tells her about Johannes's homosexuality?

2. What warning does Otto issue to Nella concerning her parakeet and Marin?

3. What does the herring served within the Brandt household symbolize?

4. For what reason does Nella decide to visit Johannes at his work?

5. What is ironic about Nella's mother's comment that there is only one kind of wife?

6. How does Nella characterize the people in her life in relation to dwelling on the past?

7. What is Nella's marital status when she first arrives at the Brandt home?

8. How does Nella feel when Marin reveals that she has known all along that her brother Johannes is gay?

9. Describe Nella's first kiss with Johannes.

10. What is Nella's mother's reply when Nella says she does not want to be the kind of wife that behaves as the "rams and ewes of Assendelft" (26) do?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author's messages about guilt and responsibility within the novel The Miniaturist.

Essay Topic 2

Write a critical essay about the novel while using the critical power theory lens of feminist theory. Use textual evidence to back up your strong, specific claim regarding the novel's treatment of gender roles, the depiction of the oppression of women, female empowerment, misogyny's role within society, or any other issues related to feminist theory that can be found in the book.

Essay Topic 3

Determine the author's message regarding truth, lies, and hypocrisy.

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