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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 Lia wish she could do?

2. What happened to Cassie?

3. Over what do Cassie and Lia bond?

4. What does Cassie do when she lies on the floor?

5. What does Lia realize while Elijah is talking?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Lia feel as she thinks about Cassie's body in the morgue?

2. How does Lia act at mealtime to make it appear that she's eating more than she is?

3. What do the two detectives who question Lia ask and what does she tell them?

4. What does Chloe insist about Lia and what is Jennifer's proof otherwise?

5. What have Lia's teachers organized and how does Lia react when she joins the group of students?

6. How do Lia and Cassie first meet?

7. What does Lia feel when she wakes the next morning?

8. What does Emma confess to Lia when Lia takes her to soccer practice, and how does Lia respond?

9. What news does Emma bring the next morning, and what is Lia's reaction?

10. What does Lia do against the advice of her parents and what does Lia keep imagining?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in "Wintergirls".

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of the book. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of the story. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

Essay Topic 2

Sometimes a book has more of a character-driven plot rather than action driven, and sometimes it is the other way. Some books seem to balance the two. Discuss the following:

1. What do you think it means to say that a plot is character driven? Action driven?

2. How do you think a plot differs if it is character driven versus action driven?

3. Which type of plot do you find more interesting? Why?

4. Do you think it is possible to have a plot where action and character development share equal time? Why or why not.

5. What type of plot do you think "Wintergirls" is? Explain your response.

Essay Topic 3

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in "Wintergirls". Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Anderson chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Anderson chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Anderson's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, cliffhangers, deux ex machina, etc.), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Anderson use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

(see the answer keys)

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