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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 implied about Miss Strangeworth's choice of the multicolored paper for her notes?

2. What color paper does Miss Strangeworth choose for the note to Don Crane about his baby daughter?

3. When Miss Strangeworth looks out the window after the story ends, what will she see?

4. Miss Strangeworth thinks that people everywhere are "degraded" (425). What does this mean that she thinks about people?

5. What job does Miss Chandler hold?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Miss Strangeworth write to Mrs. Harper, and what is she implying?

2. What is ironic about Miss Strangeworth's thoughts as she notices that various townspeople seem distressed?

3. Describe the exterior of Miss Strangeworth's house.

4. Describe Miss Strangeworth's relationship with Tommy Lewis.

5. To whom do the townspeople want to dedicate a statue, and why does Miss Strangeworth say that it should be a statue of her grandfather, instead?

6. Which writing utensils does Miss Strangeworth have available, and which one does she choose for her anonymous notes?

7. Describe Miss Strangeworth's feelings about her roses.

8. What details does Jackson provide about the interior of Miss Strangeworth's house to show the pride the family has always taken in the house?

9. What worry does Helen Crane express about her baby daughter, and how does Miss Strangeworth respond to her concerns?

10. Describe the significance of the paper that Miss Strangeworth chooses for her anonymous notes.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Certainly, Miss Strangeworth's behavior is extreme and cruel. But is Miss Strangeworth the only person in town who gossips and spreads rumors? Write an essay that makes a claim about the purpose of including details like the townspeople gossiping about Linda Stewart and the rumor about the tourist mistaking Miss Strangeworth's home for a museum. Support your claim with textual evidence.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that explores the symbolic significance of Miss Strangeworth's habit of burning notes that are not perfect. Offer evidence from the story to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you explain why the events in the story's final few pages--the events that lead to Miss Strangeworth's downfall--are ironic. Use textual evidence to support your claims.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 999 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample