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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. Graciela’s friend agrees to meet Cleofilas at a business by what interstate in order to take her to the bus station?

2. The narrator describes the character of Maximiliano how in the story?

3. In comparing Seguin, Texas to her hometown, Cleofilas notes that the houses are what?

4. Which of Cleofilas’ neighbors considers herself a widow but never mentions her husband?

5. Corin Tellado was a prolific Spanish writer of what genre?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does La Llorona represent symbolically and thematically in “Woman Hollering Creek”?

2. Describe the narrative style of “Woman Hollering Creek.” How does the language in the story reinforce its themes?

3. What does Felice do when she drives past Woman Hollering Creek in the narrative? How does Cleofilas respond?

4. What is foreshadowed by Don Serafin’s thoughts in the beginning of “Woman Hollering Creek”? How does he express his thoughts?

5. What is the significance of the title of “Woman Hollering Creek”?

6. What is Cleofilas’ “fatal flaw” in “Woman Hollering Creek”?

7. How is the character of Soledad described in “Woman Hollering Creek”?

8. How does Cleofilas compare her life to the lives of the heroines of the telenovelas?

9. How is the theme of silence versus sound illustrated in “Woman Hollering Creek”?

10. How is the myth of La Llorona described historically? What character is La Llorona similar to in the telenovelas described in “Woman Hollering Creek”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the themes of victimization and abuse in “Woman Hollering Creek.” What have critics written regarding these themes in the story? How are these themes addressed by author Sandra Cisneros in commentary regarding the story? What characters represent these themes? How?

Essay Topic 2

Reality versus Fantasy in “Woman Hollering Creek”

a. Describe and discuss the various fantasies that Cleofilas engages in throughout the story. What do these fantasies revolve around? How do they compare with fantasies of your own?

b. Describe the realities of marriage and living in the United States for Cleofilas in the narrative. In what ways is Cleofilas isolated and alienated in this setting? How does her reality differ from her fantasies?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the history, geography, culture, and political atmosphere of Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico. Where in Mexico is the state of Monclova located? How far is this setting from the U.S. border? What was the political atmosphere here like in the late 1980s/early 1990s when the story was written?

(see the answer keys)

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