View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. While fixing up the new apartment, what thought keeps Manuel working?

2. To what are the girls compared as they run away from Manuel?

3. Why is Manuel unhappy with the rooms he and his wife rent in the beginning of this story?

4. Why is Edna able to spend so much time with her new lover, Robert?

5. What is Harry's occupation?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did the Viking woman get married?

2. What happens to the woman in the crowd while awaiting the Russian execution?

3. What are Lina's views on lesbianism?

4. How does Manuel plan to entice the schoolgirls to his apartment?

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

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

7. Why does Edna marry Harry and how does she grow apart from him?

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

9. What are the differing opinions given on why Lina behaves the way she does with the narrator?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In what ways is innocence and curiosity seen as a sexually attractive trait in some of these stories? Compose an essay on this topic and develop a clear thesis statement. Discuss the characters who have these traits, as well as the characters who become attracted to them, and the outcomes of their relationships. Certain stories that should definitely be focused on (but not exclusively) include "Little Birds" and "Runaway." 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 conflicting gender dynamics of these stories in the following format:

Part 1) Virgins and their desire to have a lover.

Part 2) The violence and pushiness of certain men (such as Rango and Pierre).

Part 3) Lina.

Part 4) The characters' abilities to take control of their own sex lives.

Part 5) Pleasure at the expense of others.

Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,285 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample