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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 was Tabatha's hairstyle when she went to prison?

2. Carolyn had ______________ months of court appearances before her conviction.

3. How did Carolyn try to block the nose of the inmates?

4. Nancy compared herself and the man in #50 as __________________________.

5. Which of Nancy's friend had also been abused by a neighbor when they were young girls?

Short Essay Questions

1. What changes did Wally see in the women as they wrote their stories?

2. Why did Carolyn think that she was so out of place in the holding cell, and how long did it take before she was convicted?

3. What was Carolyn's crime?

4. How had Wally become a well-known author in America?

5. What was Wally's reasoning for not being able to refuse Marge Cohen's call to come to York Correctional Institution?

6. When did Wally Lamb know that he wanted to be a teacher, and in which type of students was he particularly interested?

7. What were some of the inconsistencies in Tabatha Rowley's life as she was growing up?

8. What was the state of Nancy's parents' relationship and what fears did she live with regarding her family life?

9. Nancy Whiteley also wrote the story, "Orbiting Izzy". What was the premise of this story?

10. Describe how Nancy and Isadore were complete opposites.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the impact of intolerance or injustice that some of the women of color experienced. What did it mean to be poor and not white in 20th century America? What stigmas did these women of color live with for their entire lives? Was there anything that could have leveled the racial discrimination playing field? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Overall, do the women's stories end on a note of hope for them or the continuance of struggles to come to terms with flawed relationships, mental illnesses, societal pressures, etc.? Give your perspective and two reasons to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

The search for love is an important element in the women's lives. How were most of them isolated as children? How did they feel about the strained relationships with their parents? Why did she get involved with people who were bad for them? Is there a pattern in the women's destructive life choices? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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