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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 object at table 17 at Clark's was meant to honor Harry?

2. What topic did Marcus's mother always bring up in conversation with him?

3. Who was the Somerset police chief in 2008?

4. What terrible even happened on July 13, 1975?

5. What cover story did Tamara come up with to tell her guests about her big announcement at the garden party?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Marcus visited Harry in Somerset in 2008, what stunning note did he find in Harry's house?

2. After Marcus began receiving threatening notes, what happened that was a far more dangerous warning for him to stop his investigation?

3. Why did Harry tell Marcus to write only fiction?

4. What did Harry tell Marcus is the only way to know if he really loved someone?

5. What is the Writer's Disease Marcus Goldman describes at the book's start?

6. What did Travis Dawn habitually do before he would speak to Jenny?

7. How did Harry meet Nola?

8. How did the townspeople of Somerset react when they find out that Harry had an affair with 15-year-old Nola?

9. When Marcus questioned Jenny as part of his investigation, what did Jenny tell Marcus about how Harry felt about him that shocked Marcus?

10. What did Harry Quebert tell Marcus about the first chapter of a book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why does Harry title the manuscript The Origin of Evil, even though it is ostensibly a love story?

Essay Topic 2

What is the defining character trait of Perry Gahalowood? Write an essay analyzing the importance of Gahalowood's actions and friendship with Marcus in reaching the truth about the murders of Nola Kellergan and Deborah Cooper.

Essay Topic 3

Many characters in this novel, as with many characters in suspense stories, are not what they appear to be. Choose the one character you think is the most deliberately duplicitous and write an essay explaining your choice.

(see the answer keys)

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