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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 does the narrator suspect that she and Nell have in common?

2. Where does the novel take place?

3. What is surprising about Colette's appearance when she opens the door to her apartment in Chapter Seven?

4. When Colette arrives for her meeting with the mayor, who is Shepherd in a meeting with?

5. What reason does Nell give for firing Alma?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Francie mention having seen on Patricia Faith's television show, and how does Nell react?

2. When the police arrive at Nell's to question her, what memory from her past temporarily confuses her?

3. What is Nell's theory about Token, and why does Colette believe Nell is probably mistaken?

4. What does Francie remember about Mr. Colburn, her high school science teacher?

5. In Chapter Eight, what memory does Nell suddenly have related to smoking?

6. When she is being questioned by the police, what does Nell have a hazy and disturbing memory of?

7. When Colette arrives home after her run in Chapter Eight, what do she and Charlie argue about?

8. How do Chapters One through Three characterize Nell?

9. Why does Francie bring a camera with her to the park in Chapter 10?

10. What does Winnie leave on the table at the bar, and where does it eventually end up?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the characterization of Scarlett as the novel's villain support the novel's thematic concerns with the role of women in American society? How is her childhood impacted by domestic violence? How does the predatory relationship with her therapist relate to her gender? In what sense is her sex responsible for her bearing a consequence for that relationship that Dr. H does not bear? How does the value that society places on motherhood impact her when she loses her child? What do her final scenes in the novel convey about social pressures on women? Write an essay that analyzes what messages about women's roles are conveyed by the characterization of Scarlett. Support your assertions with evidence drawn from throughout the text; be sure to cite any quoted evidence in MLA format.

Essay Topic 2

How realistic are the changes in Winnie described in the book's epilogue? What has changed in her thinking about other people? How has she changed as a mother? Do some research into the lasting impact of crime on victims, especially the kidnapping of a child. Write an essay in which you use details and language from the epilogue to demonstrate exactly how Midas's kidnapping has changed Winnie and then provide information from research as you evaluate how realistic this ending is. Be sure to cite any quoted evidence and evidence drawn from outside sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 3

What message about the importance of perspective is conveyed in The Perfect Mother? How do the novel's multiple narrative points-of-view and perspectives contribute to this message? How do the characterizations of Scarlett, Francie, Colette, and Nell contribute? What role does the non-chronological opening play in reinforcing this message? How is this message related to the ironic counterpoint between the newsletters and the main text? How is it related to the dichotomy between the public's perception of the police and politicians and Molloy's characterization of actual officers and politicians in the text? What other elements of the novel support the novel's thematic concern with perspective-taking? Write an essay that analyzes how several elements of the novel work together to convey a message about perspective. Support your assertions with evidence drawn from throughout the text; be sure to cite any quoted evidence in MLA format.

(see the answer keys)

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