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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. How does Mary explain the sound Nina heard?

2. What does Mary tell Karl the reason she has sex with him?

3. What does Mary decide she must do as soon as possible?

4. What is Rowley's suggestion since Mary doesn't want to call the police?

5. What does Nina tell Mary as Mary is about to leave?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Mary go and why is she relieved when she arrives there?

2. How does the altercation between Karl and Mary resolve itself?

3. Describe the scene of Mary and Rowley getting rid of Karl's body.

4. Describe Karl's life in Austria.

5. What is said between Rowley and Mary about Edgar and Mary's possible marriage to him?

6. What does Rowley ask for that upsets Mary?

7. What does Nina relate to Mary about what Nina learns from Agata?

8. How does Karl act when Mary pulls out the gun out of her purse?

9. What startles Mary soon after Karl kills himself?

10. What does Mary think about Rowley?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Maugham chooses to write the novel as a third person, impersonal narrator. Discuss the following:

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this novel being written in the third person, impersonal narration?

2. Do you think the novel would be more effective in a different point of view? Which one if so? If not why do you think the impersonal narrator works the best?

3. Do you think the narrator in Up at the Villa is reliable, i.e., do you believe the narrator is completely unbiased? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 2

There are a number of interesting questions raised by this book--questions that Maugham may have wanted the readers to consider and think through carefully. Discuss the following:

1. What does the term "author agenda" mean?

2. Name one idea/concept you think may have been a part of the author's agenda. Analyze that idea throughout the book and discuss Maugham's probable agenda concerning that idea.

2. Do you think writers who have an agenda for writing should point it out in a preface?

3. How often do you think fiction is written with a clear agenda in mind by the author?

Essay Topic 3

Edgar had been a family friend from the time of Mary's youth. She says that when she was nineteen, her mother pointed out that Edgar was in love with her and Mary had dismissed the idea, saying that Edgar - at forty-three - was "an old man." Discuss the following:

1. Do you think many marriages where there is over twenty years difference in age can be successful? Explain your answers with examples from your personal knowledge and from the text.

2. What do you think is the likelihood that marriage to Edgar would be fulfilling and happy for Mary? Give examples from the text to support your statements.

3. What do you think is the likelihood that marriage to Mary would be fulfilling and happy for Edgar? Give examples from the text to support your statements.

(see the answer keys)

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