Big Mouth & Ugly Girl

Joyce Carol OatesFiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2002

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Introduction

Before Reading

Reading Context

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Answer Key

After Reading

Discussion/Analysis Prompt

Activity

Essay Questions

Exam Questions

Exam Answer Key

Multiple Choice

1. B (Various chapters)

2. C (Various chapters)

3. D (Various chapters)

4. B (Various chapters)

5. A (Various chapters)

6. D (Various chapters)

7. A (Various chapters)

8. A (Various chapters)

9. D (Various chapters)

10. C (Chapter 13)

11. A (Various chapters)

12. D (Various chapters)

13. A (Various chapters)

14. C (Various chapters)

15. D (Various chapters)

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Long Answer

1. Performance is significant in the novel because it causes the characters to behave in ways that contradict their personalities. Performance causes Matt to act out when he is being interviewed by the police because he behaves the way he would while acting. Matt tells readers that he acts out to get attention from his peers, not because he would actually harm someone. Matt’s intimate knowledge of the arts gives him a perspective on the world that is slightly different from reality. (Various chapters)

2. One possible message is that people should refrain from drawing conclusions about others based on their persona, how they dress, and isolated incidents of their behavior. The way Ursula and Matt present themselves can cause others to draw inaccurate conclusions about who they are. (Various chapters)