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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. When Mary and Ned see the man coming toward the hosue in October, what does Mary assume?

2. When Ned speeds off to talk with the mysterious visitor on that day in October, why does it take Mary so long to follow?

3. What does Ned's motive seem to be when he first brings up the subject of whether the house has a ghost?

4. What have Mary's new neighbors told her about the ghost?

5. After Mary thinks more about the house and its ghost, what does she begin to wonder?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens with the mysterious visitor on the day that Ned disappears?

2. What is the name of Ned's book, and what is the thematic significance of this title?

3. What does Mary remember happening earlier in the day in October when she and Ned first climbed Meldon Steep?

4. In the narrative present at the beginning of the story, where is Mary and what is she doing?

5. What news does Mary learn from a newspaper clipping that someone sends her in the mail, and why is she so upset by it?

6. What do Mary and Ned plan to do with their time at Lyng?

7. What strange conclusion does Mary come to about the relationship of the ghost to the house, Lyng?

8. Describe the emotional condition that Mary is in in section "IV" of the story.

9. How does the narrator describe the life that the Boynes had in America?

10. What is Mary doing on the morning that Ned disappears?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that examines the issue of unearned privilege in "Afterward." How far does the story go in its critique of Mary and Ned's lifestyle? Might it have gone further? You may choose to also use evidence about Wharton's own life, depending on the scope of your thesis; if you do so, be sure to cite your sources in MLA format.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that explores the narrative voice of "Afterward" and takes a position on how this narrative voice contributes to the story's overall effect. Be sure to give specific textual evidence for your position.

Essay Topic 3

What is the meaning of the expression a "hothouse flower"? Look up this term and then write an essay that explores the meaning of the way Mary spends her time on the day of Ned's disappearance. Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

(see the answer keys)

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