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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 old does Christine, Reta's daughter, turn in October?

2. What is delivered to the house that is emblematic of life going on in the Winters' household?

3. According to Reta, what does she find "monstrous" in the face of Norah's absence?

4. Why is Colin's marriage to Marietta troubled?

5. What is the name of Reta's new novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. During Norah's visit from university the previous year, Reta states that she knew how "wildly out control" Norah was, how "she'd become dangerous to her own being." Describe why Reta comes to this conclusion.

2. How do Natalie and Christine attempt to give the impression that Norah's absence is part of a normal routine?

3. Why is Reta reluctant to give Arthur Springer a first draft of her novel, and what does it reveal about her writing?

4. When does Reta's mind begin to wander and what does she think of during dinner with Tom's physicist friend, Colin Glass?

5. Why does Reta view her trip to the library as a way of reconnecting with Norah?

6. Why does Danielle believe that Norah has embraced her powerlessness in society by living as a homeless person?

7. Describe Norah's thoughts about the two main characters in her novel, and why they are significant.

8. What attempt does Reta make to bribe her daughter Norah to come home when she visits her on her street corner and how successful is she?

9. Describe life in the Winters' household.

10. Describe Reta's peculiar behavior when she visits Norah in early November.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the novel, marriage is portrayed as a complicated and sometimes fraught union between two people. How does Shields characterize Reta and Tom's marriage? Does she portray them as happily married? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the role that faith plays in the novel. What are the differences between personal and religious faith? Discuss Reta's views on faith.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the role of minor characters in the novel.

1. Identify three minor characters and their relationship to the major characters.

2. Describe these three minor characters' physical and psychological attributes. Are they flat or round?

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