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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. How was Mr. Plunkett exposed at cheating at cards?

2. What word does the person who left the note in Van's jacket use for "dupe"?

3. What happens to the weather during Demon's dinner with Marina, Van, and Ada?

4. What feature of Ada does Van most delight in?

5. In what Manhattan landmark building did Dan propose to Marina in 1871?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens in Van's stage act?

2. How does Van circumvent the rules about what Ada is supposed to read from the library?

3. What did Ada do when Dr. Krolik died?

4. What are the circumstances of Marina's first romantic liaison with Demon?

5. How does Van first see Ada?

6. Where and in what circumstances do Van and Ada first have sex?

7. What does Blanche look like as she is ready to leave?

8. How does Lucette want to draw flowers, when her sister is trying to teach her to draw?

9. How does Dick cheat at cards, and how does Van best him?

10. How doe Van describe Ada's way of talking when explaining something funny?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Van has a privileged life. Discuss privilege in the novel.

1) What freedoms does Van's wealth and status allow him? How would his life be different if he weren't wealthy?

2) How is it significant that Van has an independent inheritance from Aqua and is not dependent on Demon for money?

3) What is Van's perception of his position of privilege, and how does this perception change throughout his life, from youth to old age?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Van as a character.

1) What drives Van's attraction to Ada? Why does he carry his obsession with her through long absences?

2) What is Van's perception of women? How does he treat them, and what role do they play in his life?

3) What is Van's perception of himself? How is he a "vain Veen"?

4) Discuss Van's work as a writer and psychologist. Why does he choose this work? Why does he write the books he writes, and what contributes to his philosophy?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss sexuality in the novel.

1) How and why is sexuality related to youth in the novel? How does sexuality change with age?

2) How does sexuality relate to love and affection in the novel? What do the characters expect from sex, and what does sex actually provide?

3) What role does sexual decadence, especially represented by the Villa Venus brothels, play in the novel?

(see the answer keys)

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