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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 Mike wonder about Dexter during his first visit to the Lord's house?

2. What is Liz's feeling about Tracy before the two meet?

3. What do Mike and Liz comment on as they enter the Lord house in Act 1, Part 3?

4. What does George tell Mike and Liz that he has moved on from?

5. What does Dexter wonder at the end of Act 2, Scene 1, Part 1?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the character of Seth represent as he is first mentioned in the play?

2. How do Tracy and Margaret's marriages compare, and what is the difference between how the two look at them?

3. How does Kidd react to Sandy's expose, and what does that say about the character's priorities?

4. What is Dexter's problem with Tracy's pending marriage as he explains before he exits, leaving his wedding present for her?

5. What is relevant about the conversation between Tracy and Mike before he exits to get ready for her pre-wedding dinner?

6. How does Dexter respond to Tracy as she makes her entrance in Act 3, and what does he do to encourage her memory of the previous night's events?

7. What is significant about the way Dexter and George both arrive at the house while Tracy and Mike are in the pool?

8. How does Tracy appear on the morning of her wedding, what types of things is she asking about, and why are they important?

9. What does Dexter aptly point out to George about the way he looks at Tracy during their argument in Act 2, Scene 2, Part 2?

10. What would Seth's absence from the wedding lead people to believe and how does Sandy plan to prevent it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The main symbol used in The Philadelphia Story is the boat that Dexter previously built for Tracy when they were married.

1) How does Dexter's wedding present introduce the boat into the play? What are the reactions to it from Tracy and other characters? What is interesting about the plans Dexter has for the boat as he describes them to Tracy?

2) What is the significance of the name of the boat and what does it mean to both characters?

3) How does Tracy relate herself with the boat, what are the characteristics that she shares with it, and why are they important to her development?

Essay Topic 2

Barry uses several key literary elements in The Philadelphia Story to make his point about the upper and lower class lifestyle differences.

1) Describe 2 examples of irony used in the play, why it was used, and how it added to the plot.

2) Describe 2 examples of foreshadowing used in the play, how Barry uses it, and what it added to the story.

3) Describe the pace of the play and how Barry uses dialogue to contribute to the effectiveness of the characters.

Essay Topic 3

Tracy and Liz are parallel characters in many ways. What are some examples of how they are placed in similar situations, but respond differently? What issues do they share similar views on? Overall, what is Liz's main purpose in the play? What does she illustrate in Tracy's character, along with Tracy's own actions? Why is this important?

(see the answer keys)

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