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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 Betsy Goodman conclude in the definition of madness?
2. According to Mary Nell Fickett, why do teenagers like to drink coffee and smoke cigarettes?
3. What does Mary Nell Fickett do as she continues to participate in group therapy sessions with Lisa Shilling?
4. Who eavesdrops on the conversation between Rev. Fickett, Mr. Milne, and Mr. Shilling when they discuss Lisa Shilling's mental illness?
5. Betsy Goodman wants Lisa Shilling to teach her how to do what strange behavior?
Short Essay Questions
1. Describe the typical group therapy session involving Lisa Shilling, Betsy Goodman, Mary Nell Fickett, and Elizabeth Frazer.
2. After Lisa Shilling deliberately walks through a glass window she is hospitalized with fairly serious injuries. She remains in the hospital for at least a few days. Mary Nell Fickett assumes that this suicide attempt necessarily will involve social workers who will force Mr. and Mrs. Shilling to confront Lisa's mental illness. However, this does not occur. Why?
3. Betsy Goodman believes at one point that she might gain valuable insight into Lisa Shilling's condition simply by watching an Elizabeth Taylor movie. Describe Betsy's reasoning and comment upon it.
4. If you were in Lisa's situation, to whom would you turn for help?
5. What techniques does Mrs. Shilling utilize to ignore her daughter Lisa's symptoms of mental illness?
6. Describe some of Lisa Shilling's self-destructive behaviors.
7. How does Betsy Goodman's focus on movie stars help develop the plot?
8. Mary Nell Fickett and Betsy Goodman briefly consider inviting Lisa Shilling's younger sister Tracy to their group therapy sessions. They decide against it. Why do they decide against it?
9. Between Elizabeth Frazer, Mary Nell Fickett, and Betsy Goodman, which character tries the least to understand Lisa Shilling's diagnosis?
10. Mr. Milne makes a few attempts to have Lisa Shilling's condition accepted and treated. He calls upon the school authorities in a formal and, later, an informal manner. He also meets with Rev. Fickett and Mr. Shilling directly. His attempts meet with failure as first Bernstein and the school administration and later Mr. Shilling stonewall him. Should Milne have done anything differently? Should Milne have given up when he did?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The novel features a few construction elements that make the exact identify of the narrator ambiguous in some portions. Describe who you think is the narrator of the novel. Can the narrator be identified as a single character? Is the narrator reliable?
Essay Topic 2
Which character causes the most harm to Lisa Shilling--Mr. Bernstein, Mr. Shilling, or Mrs. Shilling? Explain and defend your selection.
Essay Topic 3
The narrator describes many traits of her friends in terms of movie stars or other famous people. In particular, Betsy likes Paul Newman and Cher. If you were revising the novel for today's teenagers, which celebrities would you select to replace Paul Newman, Cher, Joanna Woodward, Shirley MacLaine, and others? How would this process update your understanding of the characters?
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This section contains 1,217 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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