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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 John’s relationship with Seraphine?

2. Why does Ira suddenly leave Shawnee and Alice’s room?

3. Who does Bernard promise to teach the drum’s songs to?

4. Why does Bernard bring the drum to the hospital?

5. What does Apitichi’s name mean?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Ira worried when she talks to Seraphine?

2. Why are Shawnee and her brother fighting?

3. What is John’s attitude towards Ira?

4. What causes the fire at Ira’s house?

5. Why does Morris apologize to Ira?

6. Which of Ira’s possessions survives the fire, and why?

7. Why does Morris fall in love with Ira?

8. Why is Shawnee angry at her mother?

9. How does Shawnee feel about Honey?

10. What happened to Bernard’s family?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the novel portray romantic love? Compare and contrast the romantic relationships experienced by women in the novel. How do these compare with the way the novel portrays family and friendship?

Essay Topic 2

How does the author juxtapose manmade settings with natural settings? How do the characters interact with these worlds? What do contrasting settings communicate about the novel’s themes?

Essay Topic 3

Consider the unusual relationship and friendship between Faye and Elsie. How is theirs different from other parent-child relationships portrayed in the novel? Is it healthier, or unhealthy in different ways? What does each bring to the relationship?

(see the answer keys)

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