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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 does Constance prepare for Merricat to eat in Chapter 9?

2. What does Merricat complain about Charles leaving everywhere in Chapter 6?

3. What does Julian say happened to Merricat at the orphanage?

4. What does Constance decide to do with Uncle Julian's papers?

5. Why hasn't Merricat buried anything around the summerhouse?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Merricat and Constance say to each other when they are safe at Merricat's hiding place?

2. How do the villagers act while the Blackwoods' house is burning? What does Charles do while the house is burning?

3. What does Constance apologize to Merricat about at the end of Chapter 9?

4. In Chapter 10, what does Merricat build to protect her and her sister? What item is brought from the house to add to it?

5. What does Charles say which causes Merricat to run away in Chapter 7?

6. How do the villagers show kindness in Chapter 10?

7. What does Charles say he wants to go through in Chapter 6? How does Julian react?

8. What does Merricat do when she peeks in at Charles's room in Chapter 8?

9. What state is the kitchen in when the girls return home?

10. What does Merricat do in order to get Charles to leave her house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Constance's agoraphobia. How does it affect her life? How does it affect Merricat's life? What might be the cause of Constance's agoraphobia? What tone does this aspect of her character create?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Jackson's use of foreshadowing. What are some examples of foreshadowing in the novel? Why does Jackson use foreshadowing?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the motif of fear in "We Have Always Lived in the Castle." What are some examples of fear in the novel? What is Merricat fearful of and why? What are other characters fearful of and why?

(see the answer keys)

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