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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Paul describe the presence of his parents and the doctor to himself?

2. What does the snow do once it reaches the ceiling?

3. How does Paul feel when he is rushed at by his mother?

4. What is the doctor doing with his fingers, as Paul observes?

5. How does Paul consider the questions being asked of him in Part 3?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Part 1 begins with an allusion to a secret that is not identified.

1) Describe how the secret is first introduced, the analogies Paul uses to present it, and the effect it has on his life in general.

2) Explain why the author does not reveal what the secret is immediately. What is the purpose behind giving its features and showing the results of it first? How does learning about the secret's effect on Paul before knowing its identity add to its impact?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the character of Deirdre. What do her character traits represent for Paul? Why does she try to get his attention? What does his response indicate? In general, how does Deirdre illustrate Paul's disconnect with the world he knows? Why is that important to the theme of the story?

Essay Topic 3

Aiken keeps the reader's attention through flowing lines and poetic descriptions. Analyze his writing style, including examples of its effectiveness and why it works so well with this particular story. Also, describe how the style changes with the tone and pace of the story.

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