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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. The women playing cards say nice things to Trudy about ________________________.

2. What is the name of the community where Lottie and Betty live?

3. Lottie says that a person can tell how a man feels about his wife by _____________________.

4. Who did Lottie marry in 1917?

5. What do Lottie and Sade never speak about during their long friendship?

Short Essay Questions

1. Because hers is not a happy marriage, how does Lottie instruct Betty in what to look for in satisfying relationships?

2. What are some mentions of popular culture that Betty notes in her story?

3. What illness does Betty contract as a child and what is the cause of it?

4. Why does friction develop between Charles and Lottie?

5. What is the probable reason for Charles' suicide?

6. Why does Lottie take back the meal she had brought for Trudy and her children?

7. What special talent does Lottie have and why does she take so much pride in it?

8. In whose voice is the Introduction written and what is the message?

9. What is an easy way to differentiate the three characters in the book?

10. How does the author show the close relationship between Lottie and Betty?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a character study of Betty. What are her physical characteristics? What are her motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about Betty?

Essay Topic 2

The author uses more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two other examples you can identify in the novel and note why they are examples of irony.

Essay Topic 3

Compassion seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the sense of abandonment? Why does it have such a prevalent place in the lives of the characters? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

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