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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. When Reta leaves Arthur in the house by himself to go to the hospital, what does he do?

2. According to Reta, what is "full of isolated events"?

3. What does Natalie remind her family about how long Norah has been wearing her garden gloves?

4. What does Tom tell Reta on the phone that Norah has which has caused her to be hospitalized?

5. What does Tom think Norah might be suffering from?

Short Essay Questions

1. According to Gemma Walsh, Reta's friend who has been appointed Chair of Theology, the Christian faith is balance on the words "already" and "not yet." Why does Reta find this significant?

2. Describe Reta and Lois's relationship.

3. In her letter about the death of Peter Harding, how does Reta compare herself to Norah?

4. Why does Reta call Dennis Ford-Halpern's omission of women in his book "The Goodness Gap" a "moral dilemma in itself"?

5. What is Reta's central point in her letter to Helt?

6. Why does an older friend of Reta's advise her to read obituaries as a young writer?

7. In her letter to Russell Sandor, Reta states that she fears nothing. Why does she feel this way and how does she prove it in her letter?

8. According to Reta, why is goodness not a guaranteed virtue?

9. When Reta and Tom consult a psychiatrist about Norah, what does he tell them and how do they respond?

10. According to Reta, what is the "worry word" of life and why is it significant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Shields' portrayal of the media in the novel, responding to the following questions:

1. What role does the media have in advancing the plot?

2. What is Reta's relationship to the media?

3. Is it an amicable or hostile relationship and why?

Essay Topic 2

What is the role of language in "Unless"? Identify and discuss the following relationships and its significance for the characters:

1. Language and identity.

2. Language and truth.

3. Language and power.

Essay Topic 3

Healing, both physical and psychological, is significant to the characters' recovery in the novel. Identify the ways in which the Winters family heals from the stress and trauma over the past year.

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