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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. Who does Margaret think Wanda is buttering up with her constant compliments on the decor in the house in chapter 2?

2. What is primary or residual clay?

3. What is Creative Visualization?

4. What is the first room Margaret shows Wanda in chapter 2?

5. What picture does Margaret take from her wallet and study while in the coffee shop in chapter 1?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to Wanda's parents that caused her to live with her aunt and uncle?

2. What discussions does Margaret have with her doctor in chapter 10? What is the result of these discussions?

3. Why does Margaret insist on allow Wanda to use her car? Why does Wanda hesitate?

4. Who does Wanda see on the street in front of a vintage record store? What happens after she sees this person?

5. Why does Margaret Hughes decide to get a roommate? Who does she need to consult first?

6. Why does Margaret go to the Hotel Orleans in chapter 10? Who does she meet there?

7. Who is the first respondent to Margaret's ad for a roommate? Why does Margaret like this first respondent?

8. For what reason does Margaret decide to invite another person to live in her house? What is this new roommate's profession?

9. How is Daniel Hughes killed? What happens to Margaret in the aftermath of his death?

10. What does Margaret think she hears Wanda doing in the bathroom during their initial interview? Why does Wanda do this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What happened to Margaret's mother? When did she die? Why does Margaret begin to see her mother? What role did her mother play in Margaret's life when she was a child? Now, as Margaret is an adult? What does it say about Margaret's health that she is seeing dead people? What does it say about her state of mind? Why does Margaret see her mother? Why does she not see her father or others who have died in her life?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss one of the following in detail, using quotes from the novel to support your conclusions:

1) Themes that appear in the plot, including friendship, grief, mortality, and family.

2) Character relationships, including an analysis of how they impact character motivation, how they change with time, and how characters change with changing relationships.

3) The use of the authorial voice in the narration of the novel, as well as the chosen point of view of the novel.

Essay Topic 3

How did Margaret's son die? How did this death impact Margaret's life? Why did she become a recluse? Why does Margaret treat the objects in her home as though they are alive and a part of her family? Where did some of these objects come from? How does this knowledge affect Margaret? What does Margaret eventually do with these items? How does this inspire Wanda to become a collage artist? How does this change Margaret and Wanda's lives?

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