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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. How much warning do Jean and Melanie have of what will happen at church when they are separated?

2. Who does Jean say history is?

3. Why does Jean say her mother has always given her problems?

4. What does Jean compare history to?

5. What does Jean say about things that are dead?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what ways might the chapter entitled Deuteronomy apply to Jean's life?

2. What is the nature of stories and history and how does she describe them?

3. While Jean is locked up in her mother's house after being accused of loving Melanie at church, who does Jean talk to and what do they say?

4. What is it like for Winnet living in the village? Why does she decide she has to leave?

5. What is Jean's mother's reaction to the discovery of Jean's continued interest in women?

6. Describe how the author describes Pol Pot in relation to history in the chapter entitled Deuteronomy.

7. What happens that makes the sorcerer cast Winnet out?

8. Describe what happened when Jean's biological mother returned to claim her.

9. Who is a friend to Jean after she is exposed for loving women for the second time? What does she do to help?

10. What is the point the author makes using the pilgrim fathers in her chapter entitled Deuteronomy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

An entire chapter of the novel is dedicated to discussion of stories and history in general being subjective.

Part 1. What is meant by subjectivity in history?

Part 2. How subjective is history? Are there any true things to be found and proven?

Part 3. How do people best cope with the subjective nature of looking into the past?

Essay Topic 2

At one point Jean describes her mother as "Old Testament." What do we mean by that phrase?

Part 1. Describe the Biblical Old Testament.

Part 2. Describe the Biblical New Testament, comparing and contrasting it to the Old Testament.

Part 3. Give some examples and explanations about things that might be referred to as Old Testament.

Essay Topic 3

In the novel Jean spends the better part of a chapter trying to understand men.

Part 1. Describe the techniques the young Jean employs to get information.

Part 2. What information does Jean gather, and what surmises does she make from it?

Part 3. Jean was clearly suffering from a lack of quality, clear information given to her. What role should her parents and/or teachers and pastors have played in her understanding, or is such confusion a natural part of the process?

(see the answer keys)

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