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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 is Hilda's occupation?

2. Why is the narrator/model unable to find modeling work in the country?

3. How does Rango help Hilda overcome her learned responses to sex?

4. How does Mandra describe her beauty in relation to Miriam's natural beauty?

5. In Laura's mind during "the Chanchiquito," what forms images on the ceiling?

Short Essay Questions

1. What reasons does Fay's husband give for not making love to her on their wedding night in the story "Saffron"?

2. Describe Mary's life, from the story "Mandra"

3. How does Rango treat Hilda after their first, failed sexual encounter?

4. In what ways is Mary described as being intensely sexual, yet frigid?

5. What pictures does Jan draw on the ceiling and why?

6. How are Paul and Miriam full of "aristocratic impudence?"

7. Describe the relationship the narrator from "A Model" forms with Reynolds while they are in the countryside.

8. Why does the painter in "The Queen" claim to like women such as Bijou?

9. How is Hilda forced to deal with her relationship to the American writer?

10. How does Jan seduce Laura at the end of this story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What role does the author's language play in the eroticism and sensuality of this book? How does the phrasing and format both increase the sensuality while keeping the reader at a distance from the proceedings? How is this seen, in particular, in "the Woman on the Dunes?" In what ways are the characters' extreme intensity and seriousness increased by the language and writing? Develop a clear thesis statement on this topic and pattern an essay around these questions (though not exclusively). Cite specific examples from the text to support your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

Why is this book called "Little Birds?" How does the title relate to the activities in the title story of this book? How does this theme relate to other characters and situations? Why is it significant that a collection of erotic stories should choose to have this connotation? In what ways does this help to subvert the idea that this book is merely pornography? Cite specific examples from the text to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

In terms of racist language and reference, what marks these stories as having been written in a much earlier than this one? How is this particularly seen in "Saffron" and "Sirocco?" How can these stories be seen as a commentary about these men's needs to control women? In what ways is this sort of bigotry on display in "the Queen?" What is significant about the fact that these references are all seen in relation to selfish, bitter, and controlling men?

(see the answer keys)

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