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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. Why is Carriscant embarrassed about the action?

2. Why do Carriscant and Pantaleon argue?

3. Why does Carriscant visit his wife's uncle?

4. What do Carriscant and Delphine tell Seiverance?

5. What does Cruz say about the procedure?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where is Seiverance going and what does he do in preparation?

2. What does Carriscant say about possible motives for the death of the soldiers?

3. What does Cruz show Carriscant in Cruz's operating room and what does Carriscant think of what he is seeing?

4. What does Annaliese say about Delphine after Annaliese meets her at the Governor's social?

5. What is the outcome of Carriscant's trial?

6. What happens one day when Carriscant begins to fantasize about Delphine?

7. What do Bobby and Carriscant discuss about the recent murder?

8. Why does Carriscant fight Wieland?

9. Why does Delphine take up painting and how does that enable her affair with Carriscant?

10. What happens when Carriscant meets Delphine and why does she reject him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in The Blue Afternoon. Are these universal symbols? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other symbols that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Boyd chooses the symbols he does?

2. Choose two important metaphors and trace and analyze their appearance in the novel. Are these universal metaphors? Would they be understood in any culture? Are there other metaphors that would portray the same idea? What are they? Why do you think Boyd chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss Boyd's use (or lack ) of literary device (such as foreshadowing, clifthangers, deux ex machina, etc...), and how they add or detract from the story. Does Boyd use too many or too little literary techniques? State which of the five major elements of fiction the literary device is related to (style, character, plot, setting, theme).

Essay Topic 2

1. What is foreshadowing? How many incidences of foreshadowing are in The Blue Afternoon? How does foreshadowing contribute to a book's suspense?

2. Discuss an example of foreshadowing in The Blue Afternoon including why you believe it is foreshadowing. Include examples from the book and your own life to illustrate your answer.

3. How do you think most people react to uncertainty in their lives? Use examples from The Blue Afternoon and your own live to support your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Thoroughly analyze how the setting informs the plot in The Blue Afternoon.

2. Trace and analyze one major theme of The Blue Afternoon. How is the theme represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

3. Trace and analyze two secondary themes of The Blue Afternoon. How are the themes represented by symbolism? By the characters' behaviors? By the action?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,053 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample