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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 sonnet is Vivian's paper about that must be done over?

2. What about Vivian's condition does she think Donne would revel in?

3. Why is Vivian's treatment aggressive?

4. Why does Vivian have to wait for her physical exam?

5. Why does Vivian go into the hospital at the beginning of Scene 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Ashford describe Vivian's essay?

2. When and how did Vivian discover words would be her life's work?

3. Why does Susie note that Vivian has not had many visitors? How does Vivian react?

4. How does Vivian foreshadow, or hint at, her fever prior to Scene 8?

5. What does Vivian think the process would be if she barfed her brains out?

6. What is the irony of Vivian's hospitalization during her chemotherapy?

7. What does Vivian like about grand rounds?

8. What is the truth that Ashford refers to in her explanation of Donne's sonnet?

9. Give two reasons Vivian looks up medical terms she does not know?

10. How does Vivian say she would have preferred her play be cast? Why can it not be?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Define climax. Identify the climax of the play. How do you know this is the climax of the story? What events led up to this moment? How does the rest of the story play out after the climax? Could any other moments be considered climactic? If so, which ones and how?

Essay Topic 2

Define motif. Identify one motif used throughout Wit. How is this motif used throughout the play? How does this motif affect Vivian? How does this motif affect the overall story?

Essay Topic 3

Define mood. What is the overall mood of Wit? How does Edson create this mood? Are there any mood shifts throughout the play? If so, how and when do those shifts occur?

(see the answer keys)

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