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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 finds Cecilia after her first suicide attempt?

2. Why are the neighborhood children kept from the funeral?

3. There is one boy that the rest of the group of boys are afraid of. Who is he?

4. Where does Dominic end up moving to?

5. Which of the following drawings is not found in Cecilia's diary?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Peter Sissen reports back to the boys about his time inside the Lisbon house, what does Paul Baldino vow to do?

2. What happens in the Baldinos' backyard to arouse neighborhood suspicions?

3. What does Peter Sissen find in the Lisbon girls' bathroom?

4. How did it happen that Paul Baldino found Cecilia in the bathtub?

5. How did the emergency workers retrieve Cecilia's body?

6. Describe Cecilia's bedroom.

7. What major revelation do the boys have upon entering the Lisbon girls' party?

8. What are Cecilia's two moods toward the end of the diary?

9. Who was Dominic Palazzano and what was his part in Cecilia's story?

10. Why were the boys happy that Joe came to the party?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Virgin Suicides is full of sexual and religious symbolism. Please choose at least three major symbols and explain their significance to the story and relation to one another, and explain how these two seemingly disparate subjects intertwine.

Essay Topic 2

Please discuss the use and effectiveness of foreshadowing throughout the novel. How does Eugenides use it to set the tone? How does it affect the reader? Is it effective? Please explain your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Lux Lisbon becomes the one that we as readers know the most intimately. In a well-developed essay, describe her character, how it differs from her sisters', and how she fits into her family.

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This section contains 675 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample