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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 Mira's mother suggest doing on the phone after Peter's death?

2. Who is Adan's mother?

3. Where does Lala sit with Baby in her arms on the beach for a long while?

4. Who takes Lala's money that she has earned?

5. What logo is on Adan and Lala's door?

Short Essay Questions

1. Whose fault does Adan tell Lala he thinks Peter Whalen's murder is?

2. What problems does Sam have following Peter's death?

3. What lie does Lala tell about where Adan was when Baby "disappeared"?

4. How does the one-armed sister lose her arm?

5. Why does Wilma send her own daughter Esme away from the house when Esme is a young girl?

6. What has Mira Whalen's mother always advocated?

7. What does Mira Whalen sometimes feel she is being punished for?

8. What is Peter trying to do when the robber kills him?

9. Why does Mira repeatedly buy raisins at the store following Peter's death?

10. What interrupts the robber in Mira's house in Part I?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is the issue of Lala's name - and which characters in the novel call her by which name - so symbolically important? Write an essay explaining your answers, citing specific references to the text to help support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

What does Lala's wedding ring, and the manner in which Adan procures it, symbolize about their entire marriage and relationship? Write an essay explaining your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay exploring Jones's treatment of the theme of sacrifice throughout this novel, citing specific references to the text to help support your conclusions.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 502 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample