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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 do people spy Philippe doing to Clara when they are in a private room?

2. After Margarethe's confession of her crime, where does Clara go?

3. How does Clara get home from the ball?

4. How many grandchildren does Ruth end up having?

5. How does Iris describe Ruth as they are traveling to the ball?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens in the dream Iris has the night of the ball?

2. What does Margarethe's decreasing vision symbolize?

3. During their dance at the ball, what does Iris worry about with regard to Caspar?

4. In the Epilogue, what does Ruth say about the paintings of Iris's that she admires?

5. Who is Caspar referring to when he initially tells Iris that she hopes she will not marry "the wrong man"?

6. How does the Master respond to Clara's vote of confidence at the ball, when she says that she is sure his painting will be picked by the queen?

7. What does Iris worry will happen to Clara if they are forced to leave the beautiful van den Meer home?

8. How does the reader know Cornelius is depressed after his business venture fails?

9. Why is Iris surprised to learn that many of the guests at the ball are still talking about her, even after the prince and Clara retire to the private room?

10. In the Epilogue, what does Ruth surmise happened to the greedy van Stolk?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose three passages from Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister that you consider to be the three most important. Analyze each passage for tone, diction, and any other literary devices that Maguire might use within them, such as foreshadowing or symbolism. What makes each scene one of the most important? How does Maguire convey the high level of importance of each passage? Which literary devices does Maguire use to structure and create each passage, and how would each scene be different without the use of one of those devices?

Essay Topic 2

Although they are small, there are multiple examples of foreshadowing present within the novel. Find three specific examples of foreshadowing and discuss what they are, what they symbolize, and what they foreshadow. Make sure to use specific citations from the text to support your position.

Essay Topic 3

Margarethe could easily be described as a selfish character based on her actions throughout the story. A counter argument can also be made, however, that she is a selfless character who continually acts out of a concern to improve the situations of those around her, often at her own expense, suffering, and unhappiness. Present an argument that Margarethe is in fact a selfless character, using at least three specific examples of her selfless actions from the novel.

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