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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. In the beginning of "The Woman on the Dunes," why can't Louis sleep?

2. Why does the narrator accompany the two women to their Moorish tower?

3. What do the girls see when Manuel's kimono slips open?

4. What is Lina's mood whenever the narrator's lovers come to visit?

5. What happens the day after Lina and the narrator visit Michel?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Novalis and Maria begin to grow apart?

2. Describe Robert and Dorothy's relationship from the time to they meet until the time they first make love.

3. What are the only ways Manuel can become aroused?

4. In what ways does Lina try to seduce the narrator?

5. Describe the night Louis shares with the woman he swims with during "the Woman on the Dunes."

6. What leads up to the schoolgirls running from Manuel at the end of this story?

7. Why does Louis walk to the beach in "The Woman on the Dunes"?

8. How does Louis "court" the woman in the ocean before he tries to make love to her?

9. Describe the two mystery women in "Sirocco."

10. For what reasons, in the woman's story, are the people so stirred up about the impending execution of the Russian radical?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the major themes of "Little Birds" is about submission and control. Analyze and discuss this in regards to the gender dynamics of these stories, the age of the characters (particularly the stories dealing with young women and older men), and how it relate to the power struggle found in many of the couples in this book. Also, discuss the outcomes of these struggles and how the relationship suffers or thrives. Be sure to develop a clear thesis statement and cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the role of artists and art in this book. Be sure that your answer covers how the occupation of some of these artists reflect upon their characters, temperament, and the author's tendency to portray the characters as bohemians, as well as how it relates to their sexuality. Besides this, also discuss times when these ideas are subverted with another character and how that relate to the portrayal of artists.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the characters of Manuel and Rango in the following format:

Part 1) Compare and contrast the two men.

Part 2) Manuel's fetish for innocence.

Part 3) Rango's desire for submission.

Part 4) The two men and their relationship to control.

Part 5) The two men having no control in certain areas (Manuel's wife being the breadwinner and Rango being an alcoholic).

Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

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