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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. Where does Margot enjoy living?

2. Who does Margot want to say goodbye to in private?

3. What month does Sandro decide Margot is?

4. Where are the workers getting ready to detach some frescoes?

5. What does Margot decide about the book as far as Volmaro is concerned?

Short Essay Questions

1. When is Margot ready for the final phase of restoring Aretino; where does she go for help in this phase and what does she do?

2. Besides not wanting to leave Sandro, why else is Margot reluctant to leave Florence?

3. Where does Margot go to watch Sandro's work and how does he feel about what he is doing?

4. What do the judges decide about Sandro's annulment application?

5. Describe Margot's meeting with the Bishop.

6. How does Margot learn that Sandro has deceived her about Volmaro and what does Margot decide to do about selling the book to Volmaro?

7. Why does Margot feel nervous when she returns to the convent after the first time she and Sandro make love and what is the outcome?

8. What does Margot send to the Bishop and how does she convince him that it is Aretino?

9. Describe the first scene in Volmaro's office when Margot arrives to negotiate the sale of Aretino.

10. What do Sandro and Margot do and what is Margot's response?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Sixteen Pleasures could be said to be a "bildungsroman" of Margot. Discuss the following:

1. Define the concepts "bildungsroman" and "coming of age."

2. Thoroughly trace and analyze The Sixteen Pleasures as a bildungsroman of Margot. Give specific examples. What does Margot learn? How has she changed? Is the change for the better?

3. Thoroughly trace and analyze The Sixteen Pleasures as a psychological study. Give specific examples. What is Margot's emotional/psychological state at the beginning of The Sixteen Pleasures? At the end? What would a psychologist say about Margot's actions? Alessandro's actions? Discuss three other characters in addition to Margot and Alessandro in relation to their emotional/psychological characteristics.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss The Sixteen Pleasures based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if The Sixteen Pleasures is a successful novel. Explain your rationale with specific examples.

3. Do you think the fact that The Sixteen Pleasures is a women's novel changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Margot learns about the inner workings of the convent and its vast land holdings as well as the politics of the church. Discuss the following:

1. Discuss the idea of a church holding great wealth. Do you think a church should have a great deal of wealth, or should it be spending everything to help people to have better lives? Why would a church hold on to its wealth rather than distributing it?

2. Discuss the paradox of the words, "In God We Trust" appearing on paper currency in the United States.

3. The Bishop, who has taken a vow of poverty, is quite concerned with controlling the assets of the convent. Who do you think should control the convent's assets? Do you think the Bishop has the convent's best interests at heart? Why or why not.

4.

(see the answer keys)

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