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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 commission does the Baron get for Lisbeth's admirer?

2. What is the significance of the name Mirah?

3. Why is cousin Bette not accepted in society?

4. Who is Madame Marneffe's father?

5. How long has Monsieur Crevel been a widower?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who arranges for Wenceslas to be released from prison? How does Wenceslas find out this information?

2. With whom does Lisbeth discuss the Baron's fascination with Valerie Marneffe? According to Lisbeth, what has Baron Hulot done to win her favor?

3. Where does Monsieur Grasset take Wenceslas? Why does this happen to the young artist?

4. Why does the Baroness summon Monsieur Crevel? Which of Monsieur Crevel's actions have affected the Baroness? Why has he acted this way?

5. What does Lisbeth tell Hortense and Adeline has happened to Wenceslas? How does Hortense react? How is Bette's lie discovered?

6. Describe Lisbeth. How old is she? How does she dress? How does this affect her social standing in comparison to her cousin, the Baroness?

7. After Wenceslas sells his bronze group, who comes to visit Lisbeth at her flat? What is the purpose of this visit?

8. How does Lisbeth meet Wenceslas in the first place? What is the relationship between them after this first meeting?

9. What does Lisbeth advise Wenceslas to do after the visit from Monsieur Grasset and what reason does she give for this? What does she promise to do?

10. How does Lisbeth describe her relationship with Wenceslas to Valerie Marneffe? What proof of his connection to Hortense does Valerie show to Lisbeth?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the narrator of Cousin Bette. In what mode is the story narrated? How does this affect the major themes of the novel? How does the narrator relate to literary realism?

Essay Topic 2

What is the significance of social class in Cousin Bette? How does this theme affect the relationship between the characters and advance the plot of the novel? Use specific examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

How is irony manifested in Cousin Bette? Choose two examples of irony from the text and explain their classification and significance. How does the use of irony affect the tone of the novel?

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