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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 Maddy threaten to move out in Section 4?

2. What lie does Maddy tell Anderson in Section 4?

3. Where did Arthur and Lucille go for ice cream in Section 4?

4. What month is it by the end of Section 4?

5. How does Lucille try to kill herself in Section 3?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Lucille returns from the hospital in Section 3?

2. What happens when Maddy runs into Anderson in Section 4?

3. In Section 3, how do Steve and Arthur express their grief over their wives differently?

4. What is Lucille's house like, in Section 3, when Arthur brings her over a plate of food?

5. How does Lucille feel about Maddy once she meets her in Section 3?

6. What is the agreement that Arthur and Maddy come to in Section 3?

7. What has Maddy been learning about in Section 4, that she shares with Arthur?

8. How is Lucille treated by Frank's daughter in Section 3?

9. How does Maddy feel when Arthur tells her, in Section 4, that he has asked Lucille to move in with them?

10. What is Maddy's new bedroom at Arthur's like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the themes of loss and death in the novel. Select two characters and analyze how this theme impacts their development.

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

Analyze the character of Anderson. In what ways is his treatment of Maddy abusive? What impact does he have on the development of her character?

(see the answer keys)

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