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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 does Clara end up dying?

2. What non-family member do Ruth, Iris, and Clara enlist in helping them get Clara to the ball?

3. Why does Clara tell the queen she is hiding her face?

4. How many children does Clara end up having?

5. According to the Master, what is the reason behind Margarethe's lie about his relationship with Caspar?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the trail of blood that follows Clara after the ball indicate?

2. What does Margarethe's decreasing vision symbolize?

3. As they are about to depart for the ball, how does Iris react when Clara promises not to take Caspar from her?

4. What happens in the dream Iris has the night of the ball?

5. During their dance at the ball, what does Iris worry about with regard to Caspar?

6. What key piece of information did Iris not understand about Margarethe's continued reference to the imp in their family?

7. What kind of perspective can Ruth offer about what happens to her family?

8. In the Epilogue, what does Ruth surmise happened to the greedy van Stolk?

9. How does the reader know Cornelius is depressed after his business venture fails?

10. What causes the prince to be initially interested in Iris?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A respect for memory -- or the lack thereof -- is a defining characteristic of many of the novel's characters. Choose two characters from Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister and compare and contrast, using specific examples, whether the characters have a respect for memory and learn from the past.

Essay Topic 2

Why does Ruth burn the Young Woman with Tulips painting? What are her reasons behind such a momentous decision? What are the effects of that decision? Do you agree or disagree with what she did?

Essay Topic 3

Complete a character analysis of the Queen of the Hairy-Chinned Gypsies. What kind of character is she? How does her character change throughout the novel (or does it)? What role does she play in the text? What is the reader supposed to think of her? Does the reader's opinion of her change as the story progresses? Is she a "good" character, a "bad" character, or both? What literary tools does Maguire use to develop her character?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 695 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample