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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. The narrator says in Chapter 4, “The neighborhood boys teased Jack mercilessly until learning that Viviane Lavender could” do what?

2. What is the name of Marigold Pie’s nephew that is sent to care for her after she’s become obese in Chapter 12?

3. How old is Wilhelmina when she first appears in Pinnacle Lane in Chapter 3?

4. When Viviane first meets Jack Griffith, he is digging a hole in his yard that he believes will lead him to what?

5. What abnormality does Ava describe herself as having been born with in the narrative?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Viviane not pursue her ambitions as a stewardess in Chapter 8?

2. When does Ava say Henry was “freed from our mother’s protective rule on the hill” in Chapter 11? Why?

3. What uncommon phrases does Henry begin repeating in Chapter 13? Why?

4. How does the narrator describe the community’s response to Ava’s unusual birth in Chapter 9? Who names Ava?

5. How is the character of John Griffith described in Chapter 5? How does John Griffith feel about Emilienne?

6. Who brings gifts to Ava and Henry when they are two? What happens to this character?

7. Where has Viviane begun working in Chapter 8? Why? Whom does the narrator describe Viviane first encountering at her job in the chapter?

8. How does the community of Pinnacle Lane respond to the death of Connor Lavender in Chapter 3?

9. How does Ava describe Emilienne as a mother in Chapter 4? How is her relationship with Viviane described?

10. How is the character of Wilhelmina Dovewolf described in Chapter 3? How old is Wilhelmina when she arrives at Pinnacle Lane?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the character of Viviane Lavender in the novel. How does Viviane differ from her mother? How are they alike? With whom is Viviane closest as a child?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the theme of motherhood in the novel. How would you compare Emilienne as a mother to Mrs. Beauregard Roux? What circumstances have influenced Emilienne’s capacities as a mother? How does Viviane differ as a mother in the story?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the character of Nathaniel Sorrows in the novel. Based on Nathaniel’s diary entries, how does he feel about the strange creature he saw when he arrived at his aunt’s home? How does Nathaniel’s obsession with Ava begin? What happens to Nathaniel at the end of the story?

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