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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. What surprises Kate when she walks into the kitchen of her friends the next morning?

2. What does Ernest have to do with Sylvia Beach's Shakespeare and Company on the Left Bank?

3. How do Ernest and Hadley feel about their living quarters?

4. What do the train officials tell Hadley?

5. What does Ernest decide to do?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where do the Hadley and Ernest live right after their marriage, and how do they have the money to sustain them?

2. What does Ernest recall about an incident with Kate?

3. How does Ernest have a brief affair and what does he think of concerning Hadley and the affair?

4. What does Ernest tell Hadley about Agnes and how does Hadley feel about what he says?

5. What is the setting for Hadley and Ernest's first lovemaking?

6. What does Ernest do in Turkey?

7. What happened to Ernest when he was in Italy that he recalls on this trip?

8. What does Ernest believe about Hadley's pregnancy in connection with the lost manuscripts?

9. Why does Ernest go back to Paris briefly?

10. Describe the Hemingway's outing with the Pounds.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Florence was a feminist before it was fashionable and was obsessed with women's rights. It was no wonder that Hadley suffered from lack of self-esteem - her mother favored Fonnie, her sister who was a few years old than she, and paid little attention to Hadley. Hadley reeled from the death of another older sister, Dorthea, with whom she had her closest familial relationship. On her death bed, her mother inflicted a final measure of unworthiness upon Hadley. She told her that she contacted Dorthea in a séance. Dorthea evidently saw into the Hadley's future, and it was so horrid that she refused to tell Florence what she saw.

1. Explain how you think Florence being a feminist affected Hadley and Hadley's own views on life. Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

2. Discuss why the death of a sister to whom Hadley was close affected her and how you think it did. Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

3. In what ways do you think Hadley's low opinion of herself due to her mother affected Hadley's marriage with Ernest Hemingway? Use examples from your own life and the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following to discuss:

1. Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in The Paris Wife. 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 McLain 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 McLain chooses the metaphors she does?

3. Discuss McLain'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 McLain 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 3

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all novels. Discuss the following:

1. Compare/contrast the characters of Hadley and Pauline. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? Be specific and give examples.

2. Compare/contrast the characters of Ernest and Ezra. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

3. Thoroughly analyze how three of the secondary characters in The Paris Wife help drive the plot and what their contribution is to the storyline. Are any of the secondary characters unnecessary? Indispensable? Which of the secondary characters are likable? Which are either unlikable or even despicable? Be specific and give examples.

(see the answer keys)

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