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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 Paula do for a living?

2. What is Gerard's occupation?

3. What does Paul want to confess?

4. Where does Paula say she always receives bad news?

5. What about her house makes Paula proud?

Short Essay Questions

1. What were the two labels given to young women when Paula was growing up?

2. What about Charlo lingers in the house after his death?

3. What did Paula like about Mrs. Spencer when they first met?

4. How did one of Paula's sisters die?

5. What attracted Paula to Charlo in the first place?

6. Why has Paula not seen Charlo in a while when she learns of his death?

7. When does Paula first realize that Charlo is not a nice guy?

8. How does Paula teach her daughter about sex, and why?

9. What does Paula do to get around her own rule?

10. Why does Carmel say she can never think kindly about her father?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Fear is a common theme in this book that is presented a number of times by a number of characters. What are some of these instances, and how does fear affect the characters in the book?

Essay Topic 2

What were some of Paula's coping mechanisms during hard times in her life, and how did these shape her situations for the good and the bad?

Essay Topic 3

Many different characters in this book were persuaded to do things that they would not have done of their own accord. Cite examples from the book, and how did persuasion affect the course of the plot?

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