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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 Cairo want Spade to help him find?

2. How does Brigid react to Spade's declaration that he met Cairo?

3. What does Spade make for Brigid to eat?

4. Why could Spade not of killed Thursby?

5. Who does Spade say Miles Archer was trailing?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Spade usher Iva out of his office?

2. How does Spade react to Brigid not being able to afford his services?

3. Describe Joel Cairo and what he wants.

4. Why does Gutman want to keep Spade on his good side?

5. How does SPade react to hearing his partners death in the second chapter?

6. What is Spade's excuse for Cairo and Brigid's behavior at the beginning of the eighth chapter?

7. Describe the game going on between Brigid and Spade?

8. Why is the fifth chapter call ed the Levantine?

9. What was Brigid's relationship with Thursby?

10. In what way is Spade shown to be a lady killer in the ninth chapter?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Pick a character from the novel and discuss their goals and motives. Do they achieve their motive? Why? Do the share similar goals and motives with other characters? Do their goals clash with other characters with other characters? How do the characters goals and motives affect their interaction with each other?

Essay Topic 2

The Maltese Falcon is written in the first person. Why do you think Hammett chose to write the story in the first person? How do you think the meaning of the story would of changed if it was written in the third person?

Essay Topic 3

In 1942 The Maltese Falcon was made into a famous film noir film starring Humphrey Bogart and directed by John Huston. Why do you think the themes and ideas in the book were still relevant ten years later? Do you think the ideas are timeless and universal? What is it about the novel that enabled it to be made into one of the finest examples of film noir?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 710 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample