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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 does Trip do in his car during the day?

2. What object appears randomly around the neighborhood, including under windshield wipers and between bicycle spokes?

3. When the boys call the Lisbon girls the second time, what do they do?

4. How does Trip Fontaine get home after the dance?

5. Which of these is not an observation made about Lux in the weeks following her removal from school?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do the boys spend the early part of the evening on June 15?

2. Describe three ways in which the Lisbon girls tried to contact the boys.

3. Describe the state of the Lisbons' basement on June 15th.

4. Describe Mary Lisbon's favorite way to pass time during the imprisonment.

5. Why is Trip so flummoxed by his attraction to Lux?

6. How did the three older girls end their evening at the dance?

7. Describe Mr. Lisbon's vision of a ghost.

8. How did Trip Fontaine "make his move" regarding Lux?

9. How does Mr. Lisbon's behavior at school change after Cecilia's suicide?

10. What rebellious activities does Lux engage in?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Jeffrey Eugenides opens the book with the last Lisbon girl's suicide. How does that set the tone for the novel? Is it helpful to the reader or does it take away from the story?

Essay Topic 2

How does the state of the Lisbon house connect to the rest of the story? What connections can be drawn between the conditions of the house and the condition of the people inside it? How do the people viewing it from the outside respond? The people inside?

Essay Topic 3

The character of Dr. Hornicker recurs throughout the novel. What is his significance? How does he contribute to the story? What is his effect, if any, on the Lisbon family?

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This section contains 962 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample