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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. For what is the Chase family house named?

2. Once X has escaped, what do the People of Desolation think that he and his companion are?

3. What are the slaves called in the man's story?

4. Where do the two lovers meet at the beginning of chapter 4?

5. What did Richard keep from Iris on their honeymoon?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do Winifred and Richard treat the Chase sisters?

2. At the end of chapter 6, the man is writing a story including characters X, Y, Z, and B. What is this story about?

3. How is chapter 2 structured?

4. In chapter 5, how do the two sisters feel toward their governess, Miss Violence?

5. In chapter 1, do you think Iris is too concerned with maintaining appearances?

6. How does Iris feel about the Laura Chase Memorial Prize?

7. How does Laura respond to living with Richard and Iris?

8. In chapter 4, X is hired to kill the king. How is X supposed to get close enough to the king to kill him?

9. How did the Snilfards prevent the sacrifice of their daughters?

10. In chapter 4, what is Richard Griffen's stance on creating jobs throughout government stimulus plans implemented in America by Franklin D. Roosevelt?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

"The Blind Assassin" has a unique structure, incorporating Laura's novel, Iris's memoir, and newspaper clippings. Do you think that this adds or detracts from the novel? Why or why not? Give evidence from the text to support your position.

Essay Topic 2

At any point in the novel, the political climate often directly affects the lives of the characters. How does the changing political climate affect the story? Consider the effects of such events as the stock market crash, labor strikes, World Wars I and II, and the Spanish Civil War.

Essay Topic 3

Water related images pervade the novel. What do you think the water symbolizes and why do you think the author chose water? Cite at least three water images from the novel, making sure to explain them both in their immediate context and the context of the novel as a whole.

(see the answer keys)

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