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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 does Willie Lee tell Adele about Stella?

2. Who are Stella's new neighbors in L.A.?

3. What do Jude's classmates in college think of Mallard?

4. Why does Reese run away from home?

5. Why is Stella always jumpy around Black people?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the twins' first jobs away from home?

2. Who is Adele?

3. Who is Blake Sanders?

4. What does Reese need a lot of money for?

5. Who helps Desiree look for Stella?

6. Who is Lou?

7. Who is Sam?

8. Why was Stella initially terrified when she found out she was pregnant?

9. Why does Jude get a second job in college?

10. Where does Jude go to college?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay in which you examine the relationship between Stella and Desiree. What is the nature of this relationship before Stella leaves, and what is it like after? Use evidence from the text for support.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay in which you examine how The Vanishing Half handles the concept of returning home. Which characters in the novel return home, and why? In what ways has their understanding of or relationship to home changed or stayed the same since returning? Use evidence from the text for support.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay in which you explore the relationship between Stella and Blake. What is the nature of this relationship, and what makes it so complicated? Use evidence from the text for support.

(see the answer keys)

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