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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. To whom does Avey compare her relationship with Jay?

2. What language is spoken by the island people most of the year?

3. What is the destination of Avey's cruise?

4. Avey had a dream about her ______________.

5. What was one of Jay's jobs?

Short Essay Questions

1. What strikes Avey as odd as she watches the people at the harbor?

2. Why did Avey become obsessed with the idea that Jay was being unfaithful to her?

3. What are some of Avey's memories of her life in the Halsey Street apartment?

4. What visions does Avey have during the night she spends at the hotel?

5. How challenging is it for Avey to find a quiet place on the ship where she can sort out her thoughts?

6. Whose transformation begins in Chapter 3 after Avey and Jay's big fight?

7. What were Avey's daughters' opinions of Avey going on the Caribbean cruise?

8. What does Avey recall about the hard financial times they had during their early marriage?

9. Who is the main character of the story and what is she doing as the novel opens?

10. What does Avey recall about spending time with her Great Aunt Cuney?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of Great Aunt Cuney. What did she look like? What were her positive personality traits? What were some of her negative characteristics? What were her hopes and fears? What motivated her during her lifetime?

Essay Topic 2

Praisesong for the Widow is a classic story of renewal and rebirth. What does that classification entail? Why does this novel fit into this category? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Why did Marshall choose to use the omniscient narrator perspective for the novel? What does this point of view entail? What do you know about the characters and the plot line that you would not know from a different point of view?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,100 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample