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Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. Clare married her husband because
2. Helga grows tired and ill from
3. Clare is upset that she will have to leave New York to
4. In this section, Clare is now
5. In her illness, Helga is unable to
Short Essay Questions
1. Speculate on why Clare is silent at the Redfield dinner table, but talkative and gregarious a parties with others. Does she have a split personality, or is she just shy at the Redfields'? How does Larsen let on what is going on without saying it?
2. After two years pass, Clare again wants to become involved in Irene's life. Is Irene's reaction negative or positive? Explain her reaction.
3. Why do you suppose Clare is pushing herself so rigorously to get involved in Irene's life? Why has she not chosen, for instance, Gertrude, to reacquaint her with the black culture? What is the particular attraction to Irene?
4. Things have taken a turn for the worse at the Redfields'. What are the clues that the story is inching toward a conclusion as it pertains to the Redfields and Clare Kendry? What conclusions can we draw about this section of the story?
5. What role, if any, does Clare's husband play in the story so far? Is he a comforting presence? Why, or why not? Is he a likable character?
6. Discuss Helga's new exuberance as the wife of a minister.
7. What is it that has kept Clare from leaving her husband and living permanently in Harlem?
8. What do we learn about the marriage of Irene and Brian Redfield in this chapter? Is it healthy? Is it durable? Why, or why not?
9. Discuss how giving birth to her fourth child seems to be Helga's breaking point. Why does this happen? What does the death of her infant symbolize?
10. During a period while Clare is gone, is there peace in the Redfield home? Why, or why not?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Write an in-depth essay on Dr. Robert Anderson. There are many things about him which attract and repel Helga. What is his role in Helga's life in Quicksand? What does he represent to her? Is there anything about him that would make him more attractive to Helga than the average man? Why does Larsen include him?
Essay Topic 2
Determine the meaning of the word "outre" and explain how the concept is used in Larsen's descriptions of Helga Crane. Did Helga play the peacock role well? Did she enjoy it? Can you think of other examples of people being so different from others in their environment, that their only option is to expand on those differences? Explain your answers.
Essay Topic 3
Who is Hugh Wentworth? What is his role in Larsen's writing? Do a close review of both stories and determine why Larsen includes Wentworth as a character. Is he simply a literary device for her? What does he represent?
This section contains 1,679 words (approx. 6 pages at 300 words per page) |
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