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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 does Félicité lose her first job?
2. How is Mme. Aubain's bedroom described?
3. What is unusual about the floors in Mme. Aubain's house?
4. What state is the furniture in the parlor in?
5. What is Félicité's first job when she starts working for Mme. Aubain?
Short Essay Questions
1. On the way to Trouville, Félicité overhears Liebard talking about the woman that Theodore left her to marry, but she does not hear the end of the story. What, if any, function does this have in the story?
2. How is Félicité introduced to the reader in the first chapter?
3. How do Mme. Aubain and Félicité's reactions to Virginie's departure differ from each other?
4. To what extent would you say that this story is about Félicité? What do you think Flaubert wanted to say by writing a short story about a person like Félicité?
5. Félicité's service for Mme. Aubain is described with some detail. What kind of an impression does Félicité's service give of Mme. Aubain?
6. What does the narrator say about Félicité's age and appearance and why might this be an important detail?
7. How does Mme. Aubain respond to Félicité's reunion with her lost sister?
8. Why is it significant that Félicité sleeps in her chair in front of the fire?
9. What are some examples of times when Félicité has been abused or disregarded? Describe them and explain how she is being treated poorly.
10. Why do you think that it struck Félicité as wrong that Mme. Aubain should die before she did?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
There are several instances of classism in this novel, especially between Mme. Aubain and Félicité, but also between others; for example, between M. Bourais and Félicité. Using specific examples from the text, consider the way that the narrator treats these instances and whether or not there is an implicit or overt commentary on the subject. Does the text pass a judgment on classist behavior or is it a straightforward depiction of the existence of classism?
Essay Topic 2
Throughout the story, Félicité assumes a maternal role in several of her relationships. The most prominent examples are Virginie, Victor, and Loulou, but there are, arguably, other examples. Choose at least three people (or animals) that Félicité develops a maternal affection for and compare them. How does this comparison reflect on Félicité? Does there seem to be a larger message implicit in this theme?
Essay Topic 3
Flaubert is a critical figure in the literary movement called Realism, in which authors attempted to tell a story that mimics life as it actually is. To what extent is "A Simple Heart" realistic? Is Félicité a realistic character? In what ways would you answer yes and in what ways no? Do you think that realism is an attainable goal for a piece of literature?
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This section contains 1,849 words (approx. 7 pages at 300 words per page) |
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