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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 Edward do when Muriel arrives for Edward's first lesson?

2. What is the reason Muriel marries and divorces her husband, Norman?

3. Why is the restaurant where Macon and Sarah agree to meet significant?

4. How does Sarah greet Macon at the restaurant?

5. Why does Macon stay at his childhood home after his injury?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Sarah tell Macon in the car?

2. How does Macon feel about Muriel?

3. Describe Macon's siblings and their current lifestyle.

4. Why does Macon keep Edward, and what does he agree to?

5. What kind of writer is Macon and who does he write for?

6. Why does Sarah call Macon while he's traveling in Canada?

7. Why do the Learys disapprove of Macon's relationship with Muriel?

8. What does Julian offer to Macon when he comes over in Chapter 6?

9. What does Muriel do as she trains Edward and what kind of personality does she have?

10. In Chapter 17, why is the story Muriel tells Macon about a man she "cured" who left her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tyler utilizes the third-person point of view in the novel to show Macon's thoughts, motives, and actions. Why do you think she uses "he" and "she" instead of "I." How would the novel be different if Macon was narrating it? Would we learn more or less from a first-person perspective?

Essay Topic 2

Describe Macon's role as a father in the novel.

1. How does he identify as a father-figure to Alexander?

2. How does he compare to the other fathers in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

The issue of class is significant in the novel. Macon's family is middle-class, while Muriel has a working-class background. When Macon begins to see Muriel, his family do not approve of Muriel because they think she is just out for a meal ticket. How are Macon's reservations about Muriel also about class division?

(see the answer keys)

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