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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. How do Annabel and Midge react after learning the price of the necklace in the shop window?

2. What kind of flowers does the woman at the dinner party have in her hair in the story "Arrangement in Black and White"?

3. Where are the couple in the train car headed?

4. In the story "The Sexes," why is the girl upset with the young man?

5. In the poem "Hearthside," what does the narrator dream of?

Short Essay Questions

1. What trouble does the man in "You Were Perfectly Fine" create when he lies about remembering the taxi ride?

2. What does Mr. Durant's response to the dog reveal about him?

3. How does "A Telephone Call" reinforce Dorothy Parker's perspective regarding the relationship between men and women?

4. In "The Standard of Living," how are Midge and Annabel affected by the news of the actual price of the necklace in the shop window?

5. Why is Mimi upset by her husband's compliment about her black dress in "The Lovely Leave"?

6. How might Mrs. Martindale solve Mrs. Wyman's problem and her own at the same time?

7. In the story "Dusk Before Fireworks," why does Kit try to pretend that she is not bothered by the attention that other women pay to Hobie?

8. In the short story "A Telephone Call," how does the narrator rationalize her irrational behavior?

9. What message about love is conveyed by the poem "A Very Short Song"?

10. In "Arrangement in Black and White," what do the woman's behavior and comments at the dinner party reveal about her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Abortion is a word that does not appear in Dorothy Parker's writing, yet it appears as a motif in several of her stories. Analyze the way in which Parker deals with this taboo in her stories. How does she introduce the topic? How does she make this detail clear to the reader? How does the event affect the characters involved? What do the stories reveal about Parker's perspective on abortion and how it affects the men and women involved?

Essay Topic 2

Dorothy Parker is well-known for her use of verbal irony, both in her conversations and in her writing. Examine Parker's use of verbal irony in her short stories, poems, and essays. How does her use of verbal irony result in a unique and recognizable style? Include examples and quotations to illustrate this style.

Essay Topic 3

Describe Dorothy Parker's poetic style. How does she use rhyme, rhythm, and sound? How does she use suspense and irony? How would you describe the tone and mood of her poetry? What are some common themes that she deals with? Be sure to use specific examples, especially quotations, to support your description.

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