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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. The movie Holly shows to the rest of the investigative team features what type of professional in the role of kidnapper?

2. Who recognizes the title of the film shown by Holly at the investigative team's first meeting?

3. On what day of the week does Jack first suspect that his sunburn may be more serious than he knows?

4. What word does the hand emerging from Jack's shower have tattooed on its knuckles?

5. Who provides CPR and succeeds in keeping Fred alive at the scene of his suicide attempt?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the two words tattooed on Claude's hands symbolize?

2. For what reason does Jeannie invoke the character of Sherlock Holmes during a conversation with Ralph?

3. What promise does Jeannie elicit from Ralph before he travels to meet the rest of the investigative team?

4. What is King's reason for alluding to a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe?

5. In what way is Claude an ideal target for the Outsider?

6. Just before Fred loses consciousness, he has a vision. Describe it.

7. What does the cantaloupe in Ralph's story symbolize?

8. Who insists on joining the first meeting between Ralph and Holly and why?

9. How does the motif of dreams enter the narrative in relation to Jack?

10. What finally convinces Jack to do the bidding of the Outsider?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How are the topics of romantic relationships, love, and sex treated within the novel The Outsider and how does their treatment relate to the novel's depicted messages?

Essay Topic 2

Write a critical essay about The Outsider 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 objectification of women, female empowerment, misogyny's role within society, or any other issues related to feminist theory that can be found in the novel.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss King’s use of metaphor, simile, imagery, and other literary devices as a means to send particular thematic messages within the narrative of The Outsider.

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