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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. Why does Gerald Cruger avoid looking at Miss Wilmarth in the story "Horsie"?

2. According to the poem "Wisdom," what is a path to misery?

3. Who is Mrs. Hofstadter who lives on Josephine Street?

4. What has become a "bitterness" for the narrator if "Iseult of Brittany"?

5. To what does the narrator compare the lighting in the speakeasy?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the irony in "Ninon de Lenclos, On Her Last Birthday."

2. How does Hazel Morse lose her own identity in her efforts to please others in the short story "Big Blonde"?

3. What is the cause of Mr. and Mrs. Weldon's divorce in the short story "Too Bad"?

4. In the poem "The Last Question," what is the purpose of the italicized lines?

5. Explain the allusions in the poem "Prayer for a New Mother."

6. What story is told through the poem "There Was One"?

7. Describe the narrator's tone in the story "Just a Little One."

8. What explains Miss Wilmarth's "curious expression" in the short story "Horsie"?

9. Explain the allusions in the poem "Guinevere At Her Fireside."

10. Compare the poems "Bric-A-Brac," "Fulfillment," and "Theory." What do these poems have in common?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine Dorothy Parker's "Self Portrait" and her letters. What do these pieces reveal about her as a person? How do these revelations compare to the themes and characters that she writes about? Be sure to include specific examples and quotations to support these observations.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

Describe Dorothy Parker's writing style in her essays. How does this style compare to her short stories and poetry? How do her tone and word choice compare? What types of imagery does she use? How does her writing style influence the effectiveness of her essays? Be sure to include specific examples and quotations to support your observations.

(see the answer keys)

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