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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 might an American woman come to regret?

2. What does Sandro think Margot has figured out?

3. What reminds Margot of her mother's death?

4. Where does Margot enjoy living?

5. What does Madre Badessa regret?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Margot's meeting with the Bishop.

2. How does Margot set up a false trail for auctioning Aretino?

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

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

5. 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?

6. What is Father Francisco's directive concerning the nuns disturbing him?

7. 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?

8. Why do Margot and Sister Gemma have a discussion about religion when visiting Sister Agape?

9. How does Sandro shock Margot a couple weeks after the fresco removal?

10. What does Margot decide about leaving Florence and then what makes her change her decision?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the Bishop with Madre Badessa. How are they alike? How are they different? Are each sympathetic characters? Who would you most likely have as a friend? Why? Is each one believable? Why or why not? Who seems more sincere? Who seems to take his/her religion more seriously?

2. Compare/contrast the culture of Italy of 1966 with that of the United States. How are they alike? How are they different? Which culture do you most relate to? Which culture is more influenced by the Catholic church? How does the culture of Italy contribute to the story as a whole? How would the story change if set in the culture of the United States at that time?

3. Compare/contrast the attitude towards art in Italy with your own experience and attitude towards art? Who takes art more seriously? Is art more important in the culture of Italy than in your own culture? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 5, when Margot joins some nuns in the library, she, at first, thinks that they need a man with some strength to help take apart the bookshelves that have swelled. The nuns show her how to readjust her thinking to make the task manageable without a man. Discuss the following:

1. There is a proverb of unknown origin that reads, "necessity is the mother of invention." Relate this proverb to the situation in the library and in your own life.

2. It is generally accepted that most men have greater brute strength than most women (but not all by any means). How do you think this fact has impacted gender roles throughout the ages? Discuss thoroughly.

3. Margot, who loves men and finds them very attractive and likes their company, naturally thinks first of getting help from a male when a task needing strength arises. The nuns, on the other hand, who are restricted in their interaction with men, do not even thing in terms of having one come in to do the work that requires strength or courage. Men, on the other hand, tend to think of asking a woman for help when it comes to cooking or sewing or something that requires sensitivity. These statements are generalizations and there are many exceptions, but think of them in terms of general truths. Discuss the following question: How do these type of generalizations (men to women and women to men) tend to perpetuate gender polarization in various cultures. Is it healthy to perpetuate such ideas? Why or why not? Discuss in relation to The Sixteen Pleasures and in relation to your own culture and experiences.

Essay Topic 3

Oftentimes, a novel is more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and oftentimes the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think The Sixteen Pleasures is? Explain your response.

(see the answer keys)

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