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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. Where does Cy go after he is thrown out of the hospital?

2. Who owns the Varga Oyster Bar?

3. What do the police find when they go to Cy's tattoo parlor?

4. What does Grace describe in graphic details to the soldiers?

5. Who is Arturas?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the first meeting between Arturas and Claudia Overas and Cy.

2. When Cy is somewhat inebriated in Vargas, he makes what connection between Grace and his mother and how does he react to that connection?

3. Why does Cy stay open on rainy days and describe one such day.

4. Why does Cy not knock on apartment number 104, though it draws him?

5. What is the story Henry gives about what happens at the asylum and do the police believe him?

6. How is Grace described at the beginning of "The Lady of Many Eyes"?

7. Give a physical and psychological description of Claudia.

8. What is the connection between the game of chess and Grace?

9. How does Cy remember Grace?

10. How are tattooists looked at in Coney Island?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Grace is probably the most complex character in the book. Most readers might even say that they don't ever fully understand her or her motives. Answer the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. What is it about Grace that intimidates the soldiers in Cy's shop in Part 2, "The Lady of Many Eyes"?

2. Besides being intimidated, the soldiers are also sexually attracted to Grace. Why do you think that is true? Or do you? Which emotion of the soldiers seems stronger--fear or attraction? Is there something about their fear that actually intensifies their attraction?

3. The soldiers imply that Grace's sanity is questionable. What do you think? Is the way she treats the soldiers sane? Why or why not?

4. What do you think is the significance of Grace's action when she confronts the soldiers and licks her thumb and touches the soldier's cheek?

Essay Topic 2

In Part 2, "The Lady of Many Eyes," there is a description of the baby incubation exhibition. Answer the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. What is the baby incubation exhibition? Could something like that exist except in fiction?

2. How is the baby incubation exhibition related thematically to the rest of the book?

3. Why does Claudia go there week after week? Do you think there would ever come a time when she would stop? When? Why would she stop going there?

4. Why do you think Claudia will allow Grace to lead her away from the baby incubation exhibition? What does this say about the friendship between the two?

5. Would you ever want to go to a baby incubation exhibition? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

The characters in Electric Michelangelo are the central focus of the novel; in other words, the characters drive the plot rather than the other way around as is the case in some novels. Choose one of the following questions and write a well-developed, cohesive essay using examples from the text and your research or personal experience:

1. Write an in-depth character analysis of Cy Parks. Include a physical description, personality traits, and what beliefs motivate him. What do you like and dislike about this character? Why? Give specific examples.

2. Write an in-depth character analysis of Grace. Include a physical description, personality traits, and what beliefs motivate her. What do you like and dislike about this character? Why? Give specific examples.

3. Choose three other characters besides Grace or Cy and write about them in relationship to both Grace and Cy. Are they friendly or hostile to either main character? Explain with examples. What is their purpose(s) in the story?

(see the answer keys)

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