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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. Ben has a PhD in which discipline?

2. Which element is NOT a part of Eli's bedtime routine?

3. In what grade is Eli, Lizzie's young son?

4. Lizzie asserts that there is nothing to do around the home of Catherine's parents, except for taking what action?

5. What term does Eli use to describe the phase of the moon when Lizzie points it out to him in Chapter One?

Short Essay Questions

1. What habit does Henry adopt when Catherine's due date draws near?

2. Describe the protagonist's immediate family as depicted in Chapter One of Weather: A Novel.

3. What is the significance of Sylvia's explanation of the human response to applause in Chapter Two?

4. What new development occurs in Henry's life in Chapter One?

5. What act of altruism does Lizzie fondly remember from the night she gave birth to Eli?

6. Discuss an instance when the motif of dreams enters the narrative of Chapter Two.

7. Characterize the relationship between Lizzie and her brother Henry.

8. What does the moth from Madagascar symbolize and why?

9. In what location does the narrative of Weather: A Novel take place?

10. What does Ben do for Lizzie on her birthday?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the role of family within the text Weather: A Novel. What types of family relationships are represented and how does Offill use their variety to inform many of the work's themes?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the role of addiction with Offill's text Weather: A Novel. What messages are being sent about the nature of addiction and what response does the text intend to provoke from its audience?

Essay Topic 3

Trace the characterization arc of Lizzie’s character throughout the novel Weather: A Novel. Discuss whether Lizzie is a round or flat character and whether she is a static or dynamic character.

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