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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 concern about her future does Buddy express to Esther?

2. What does Esther do to pay tribute to Joan?

3. Where will Esther live after leaving the asylum?

4. What complaint do all of the patients at the hospital have of Esther's volunteer work?

5. Why does Valerie have scars on her head?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the private hospital staff compare to those at the public hospital?

2. Describe Esther's feelings as she visits the gynecologist.

3. What news does Esther expect Dr. Nolan to give her after her insulin reaction? What news does she actually give her?

4. What does Esther do at Deer Island?

5. What is the only item that gives Esther pleasure in the hospital? Why?

6. Describe Irwin

7. How does Esther feel as she is waiting to enter her exit hearing?

8. What do the voices in Esther's head tell her as she sits in the park contemplating suicide?

9. Describe the scene at the cemetery.

10. Characterize Esther's behavior in the psychiatric wards of the hospitals

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What would you have done if you had developed depression as Esther had? Would you have taken the same actions as her? Why? How would your personal experience be different or the same as Esther's?

Essay Topic 2

As The Bell Jar develops, so does the main character's mental illness. In your essay:

1) describe the progression of her illness

2) describe and explain the "red flags" that showed she was getting increasingly worse

3) comment on the role that the other characters played in her deterioration.

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

Essay Topic 3

At the end of The Bell Jar, Esther is about to be released from the asylum. Write an essay discussing:

1) whether or not she is ready to leave the hospital

2) what the future holds for her

3) how you think she'll do in the "real world".

Use specific examples from the novel to come up with and support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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