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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 Selina see at the park in Book 2?

2. What happens to Deighton at the mattress factory?

3. What sets Miss Mary apart from the other tenants?

4. Where do people in the story go for fun on a Saturday night?

5. In Book 3, how does Silla carry out her plan to get money for a house?

Short Essay Questions

1. Miss Thompson's roommate has three little girls, but it is Miss Thompson who cares for them. Why is that?

2. How are Silla and Miss Thompson alike?

3. Why do you think that Deighton is seeking out a mistress?

4. In Book 1, Chapter 3, why is Maritze so annoyed with Suggie's romantic adventures?

5. Why does Silla worry when Deighton does not return home with the money from the land sale?

6. What is the main problem in Silla's and Deighton's marriage?

7. Why does Suggie drink rum and act so promiscuous?

8. Why is Deighton in such a happy mood at the beginning of Chapter 5?

9. Deighton starts to believe in a cult-like religion. Which cult-like religion is it?

10. How do Deighton's actions support Silla's annoyances with him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Marriage was considered to be one of the few options for a young woman in the early 20th Century. Look at each moment in the novel when marriage is mentioned, or when a wedding takes place. Describe the connotations about marriage. What kind of viewpoints does Selina develop about marriage based on each of those situations?

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast the characters of Deighton and Clive, the two primary male characters in the novel. How are they alike in their influence over Selina? How do their characters differ? How does Selina differ in her interactions with each of them? What does she learn from them?

Essay Topic 3

Which character maintains the best and most useful and productive attitude toward the life that they lead? Make a case for your choice, and support with evidence from the book.

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