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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 religion do the members of Temple No. 1 practice?

2. What is located in Desdemona's hope chest that she fears she will never use?

3. What does Mike Antoniou think of Tessie's daily trips to the movie theatre?

4. Where does Tessie and her family wait out the riots?

5. What does Chapter Eleven do after the church service that shocks and frightens Tessie?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Sourmelina's appearance when Lefty and Desdemona first arrive in Detroit. What is the significance of the way she looks?

2. Describe Desdemona's silkworm box and its contents.

3. Describe Desdemona's appearance.

4. Describe the Greek General Hajienestis.

5. Describe Desdemona's transformation after Calliope's birth.

6. Describe the events that allow Desdemona and Lefty to depart from Smyrna.

7. How does Jimmy Zismo change during Sourmelina's pregnancy?

8. How does the narrator characterize Lefty's gradual demise?

9. Describe Calliope's baptism.

10. What is the conflict between Desdemona and Lefty in the chapter "Marriage on Ice"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides weaves actual events from history (Turkish and American) into his fictional story. Select one of the situations where he places his characters within a real historical context and:

1) Describe the historical context of the scene or chapter (i.e. What actually happened in history that Eugenides uses in the book?).

2) Discuss the relationship between the historical context and the fictional story of the Stephanides family. What does this piece of history have to do with the family's life? Why does Eugenides choose to place these characters at this particular point in the story in this particular historical context?

Essay Topic 2

The influence of parents on children is a recurring topic in Middlesex. Select two of the following pairs and discuss the relationship between the parent and child. Focus your discussion on the ways the the parent does or does not influence the child's development (physical, emotional, social and intellectual). Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

1) Desdemona and Milton

2) Tessie and Calliope

3) Milton and Chapter Eleven

4) Lefty and Milton

Essay Topic 3

Throughout Middlesex, the setting of the story changes several times. Select one of the settings of the story: Turkey in the early 1900's, Detroit in the 1920's, Detroit/Grosse Point in the 1960's or Berlin in modern day.

1) Describe what happens in the story while the story is set in location and time period

2) Discuss the influence of the setting (place and time) on the story

Cite several specific examples from the novel to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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