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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. Who gives Maddy the nickname of Saddy in Section 2?

2. What is one of the only things Maddy has of her mother's?

3. When did Frank buy Nola's engagement ring?

4. Where do Nola and Arthur meet for the first time?

5. Who is Arthur's neighbor?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Mr. Lyons and how does Maddy describe him in Section 1?

2. What does Arthur dream about in Section 2?

3. What is the nickname that Maddy gives Arthur and how does he get it?

4. In Section 2, what does Lucille tell Frank about her impression of New York City?

5. What happens between Maddy and Scott Bredeman in Section 2?

6. What happens in the car when Anderson picks Maddy up in Section 1?

7. Who is Gordon and how did he come into Nola and Arthur's life?

8. What makes Lucille angry at Arthur in Section 1?

9. What happens when Maddy sneaks back into her house in Section 1?

10. What makes Lucille suddenly want to live to be 100 in Section 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does Maddy change over the course of the novel? Who or what influences this change?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the way Steve and Arthur grieve for their wives. Which is the healthier way? What is the impact on the other characters in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, a key theme is Maddy's struggle to find belonging. Analyze this theme, giving examples in the text of where this theme is expressed.

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