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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 did Robson kill himself?

2. Where did the narrator go to meet his friend to discuss Adrian's suicide after he arrived home?

3. How did Alex say Adrian appeared the last time he saw him when he met with the narrator to discuss Adrian's suicide?

4. The narrator notes in Chapter 1, "I'd read somewhere that if you want to make people pay attention to what you're saying, you" do what (64)?

5. What did Adrian tell Alex as they said goodbye the last time that Alex saw him?

Short Essay Questions

1. What differences can be seen between Veronica and the protagonist during their courtship?

2. Who is Old Joe Hunt and what role does he play in the narrative?

3. What does the letter from Adrian say regarding Veronica in Chapter 1?

4. Why do the protagonist and his friends urge Adrian to investigate his parents' divorce in Chapter 1?

5. Whom did the protagonist marry? How does he describe the early years of their marriage?

6. Who informs the protagonist of Adrian's death? How has Adrian died?

7. How is the intimacy between the protagonist and Veronica described during their courtship and after?

8. Who are the "original three" among the narrator's group of friends? How are they described?

9. How is Veronica described when the narrator first meets her?

10. Why is the protagonist angered by the fact that Adrian is labeled as mentally disturbed regarding his suicide?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss and analyze the author's use of philosophical and literary allusions in The Sense of an Ending. What are some examples of these allusions? How do the philosophical theories discussed relate to the themes and/or plot of the novel? How do the literary allusions relate to The Sense of an Ending?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and analyze the character of Veronica Ford in the novel. When and where does the narrator meet Veronica? How is her demeanor described? How does the narrator's relationship develop with Veronica?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of memory in The Sense of an Ending. How does the author evoke this theme through symbolism, imagery, and setting? How does the author explore this theme through characters and their actions and motivations? What commentary does the narrator provide regarding memory?

(see the answer keys)

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