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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. Which of the following best describes Lenny and Doreen's dancing?

2. Who calls Esther early the morning after she became sick with food poisoning?

3. What does Esther do to let Constantin know she is interested in having sex with him?

4. How many children does Dodo Conway have?

5. With whom does Esther ride back to the Amazon after leaving the movie premiere?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Buddy's letter to Esther (that is waiting for her when she gets home).

2. Describe the article that Esther's mother gives her from Reader's Digest ("In Defense of Chastity").

3. Why is Esther upset when Buddy tells her he is no longer a virgin?

4. Describe the birth scene that Esther and Buddy witness from Esther's point of view

5. How does Buddy tell Esther about losing his virginity?

6. What does Esther decide about her friendship with Doreen the night of their visit to Lenny's apartment? What causes her to make this decision?

7. How does Esther convince the college to exempt her from the chemistry course requirement?

8. What news does Mrs. Greenwood deliver to Esther when she picks her up from the train station? How does Esther react?

9. Describe the events that lead to Esther's food poisoning

10. Describe the Amazon.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Esther's family live has a subtle but important effect on the changes that she undergoes throughout the novel. Discuss:

1) Esther's family dynamics

2) the impact of Esther's family life on her personal life

3) how Esther's life would have been different if both of her parents had been alive.

Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Throughout The Bell Jar, Esther moves between the present and the past. Select three of the flashback scenes and:

1) describe what happens in each of these scenes

2) discuss the significance of each scene in Esther's life

3) discuss how the flashback scene relates to the "present" time scene it is embedded in.

Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

This novel deals with the relationship between talent and mental stability. In your essay:

1) discuss how this relationship plays out in Esther and the other characters

2) state what you think Plath is saying about this relationship

3) comment on Plath's ideas. Is she right? Why or why not?

Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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