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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. Who is grotesquely interested in the contents of the package Stephanie receives from her building superintendent?

2. In Chapter Eight, why can't Stephanie physically catch Kenny when she spots him?

3. Why does Spiro fire Stephanie in Chapter Thirteen?

4. Where does Stephanie move to after Grandma Mazur is attacked?

5. How does Stephanie get Spiro to take her to the basement after someone goes missing?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Stephanie and Lula have in common?

2. In Chapter Eleven, what action does Stephanie take that causes the religious structure of the 'Burg to be revealed?

3. Describe the type of style the women in the 'Burg aspire to. Does caring about beauty and fashion make them seem oppressed?

4. Why does Lula break the window when she and Stephanie visit Spiro's apartment?

5. When Stephanie agrees to guard Spiro, it seems she is simply accepting money to do something she finds distasteful. Is this the reason?

6. Why is it frightening when the Sandman is killed and his body mutilated?

7. Kenny's acts of violence start small and then progress into larger, more grotesque actions. Explain the escalation.

8. What does Stephanie learn about Morelli when Andy Roche appears in Chapter Twelve, and what does this say about Stephanie's instincts?

9. Stephanie observes that the widow of the fingerless man has never experienced independence and will not know how to handle independence now that her husband has died. How is this different from Stephanie's lifestyle?

10. Why is it ironic that all of the women at the beauty parlor carry guns yet Stephanie does not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The 'Burg was practically a character in the novel itself. This community had a life of its own and beliefs of its own that shaped the characters and the outcome of the story.

Part 1) Describe the 'Burg. What were its unique qualities? How did its character affect the story?

Part 2) What is the significance of the 'Burg in this novel? Could the same story be as believable without the 'Burg as a location?

Part 3) If you were to offer up a different setting for the story, what would be a location option as strong as this one and why?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the novel, guns made a significant appearance. Discuss whether guns were portrayed as good or evil, and in the end, what this might mean in terms of the author's philosophy on firearms.

Part 1) Cite and discuss where guns were portrayed positively in the story and why.

Part 2) Cite and discuss where guns were portrayed negatively in the story and why.

Part 3) Explain Stephanie's relationship to her gun. Why did she keep it in a jar? Why did she rely on her stun gun instead? Was it ironic that Stephanie used a stun gun to go save Grandma Mazur, but it was Grandma Mazur's real gun that saved the day?

Essay Topic 3

Stephanie is cautious with romantic encounters due to a past heartbreak, yet Morelli seems like a strong match for her. How did her attitude towards intimacy affect her relationship with Morelli?

Part 1) Explain the many ways Stephanie has found to distance herself from a romantic relationship with Morelli.

Part 2) Pick a side. Is Stephanie right to avoid a relationship with Morelli? What does he bring to the table for her romantically? How would she benefit from opening her heart?

Part 3) If Stephanie continues to remain single, what will she gain from this lifestyle? Is her life already satisfying? Or does she need something more and why?

(see the answer keys)

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