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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. Fleur and Wally are joined by Gray Mauser while they are out for evening. What does he tell them?

2. What is Fleur's greatest concern upon learning the tragic news of the suicide of one of the Association's members?

3. Fleur tells Sir Quentin that she knows he plagiarized her novel and plans to sue him. How does he respond?

4. What does Fleur do, by chance, that sends her gracefully into the fullness of her years, on her way, rejoicing?

5. Sir Quentin's death is nearly identical to the death in her novel of the character Warrender Chase. How is this theme continued at his funeral?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe how at least one of the maxims Fleur remembers from childhood helps direct her actions as attempts to get her manuscript back.

2. Fleur's job at the Association has changed by Chapter 7. What are her duties now?

3. How does Sir Quentin lure Fleur to his office after she retypes her manuscript and gives the copies to Solly?

4. After Fleur retrieves her manuscript and goes home, she is visited by Dottie. What happens during this visit?

5. When Fleur runs into Mrs. Wilks in Chapter 7, what does Fleur observe about her?

6. What was Fleur's internal reaction to the tragic news in Chapter 8?

7. Why doesn't Fleur tell Edwina that she believes Sir Quentin is behind the theft of her manuscript?

8. As Fleur goes to bed the night after the meeting with the publisher, about what can she not stop thinking ?

9. Before Fleur works out a plan to retrieve her manuscript, fate intervenes and presents her with a way to do so. What happens?

10. Even though Fleur and Dottie have quite a tumultuous relationship, after Sir Quentin's death, she keeps Fleur well-informed about the other members of the Autobiographical Association. Describe what happens to any two members.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Muriel Spark intentionally leaves character motivation out of Loitering with Intent. Her main character, Fleur Talbot, discusses not disclosing Warrender Chase's motivation for his evil behavior, merely the effects of his evil actions.

Discuss the concept of motivation and why you think Spark doesn't focus on the motivation of her characters' actions. Do you think this affects the reader's impressions of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Fleur states that she is suspicious of anyone claiming a moral imperative as a justification for his actions. What is about such a justification that might make one's true motives seem suspect? Compare how this concept is used in the novel to another example, from recent history or literature, in which a moral obligation is ultimately exposed as false justification.

Essay Topic 3

The drug Dexedrine is used by Sir Quentin to control his group of "followers."

What do the members gain, or perceive to gain, from following Sir Quentin? Could he have gained their confidence without the drugs? What did Sir Quentin's Association members have in common that made them susceptible to someone like him, similar to the blind faith cult members place in their leaders?

(see the answer keys)

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