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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 Vardaman claim his mother is in Chapter 19: "Vardaman"?

2. What animals does Vardaman attack in Chapter 13: "Vardaman"?

3. What does Darl describe the air as smelling like as he watches Cash work in Chapter 17: "Darl"?

4. For how long does Cora say she's been coming to stay with Addie almost every day in Chapter 6: "Cora"?

5. Who is Tull talking to in Chapter 8: "Tull"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is indicated by Darl’s assessments of his mother Chapter 21: “Darl”?

2. What is foreshadowed in Chapter 20: “Tull”?

3. Why is Jewel Bundren angry in Chapter 4: “Jewel”? What does his anger indicate about Jewel’s character?

4. What does Jewel do when he family departs in Chapter 25: “Darl”? Why?

5. Why does Anse Bundren complain about Jewel in Chapter 26: “Anse”? How does Darl respond when he sees Jewel?

6. What is Tull's relationship to the Bundrens? What role does he play in the story?

7. What is indicated by Anse’s superstitions about moving in Chapter 9: “Anse”?

8. What is the narrative style of As I Lay Dying? Who is introduced in Chapter 1: “Darl”?

9. Who is Lafe and what is his role in the novel?

10. What question does Darl pose to Jewel in Chapter 10: “Darl”? How does Jewel respond?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Addie's death and its impact on the Bundren household. How does each of Addie's children cope with her death? How does Addie's death impact Anse? How does it affect Cora and Tull?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the sequence of events in As I Lay Dying. Is the narrative presented in a linear fashion? What is noteworthy regarding the linear vs. nonlinear elements of the novel? Where are flashbacks or flash-forwards employed?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's use of symbolism and imagery in As I Lay Dying. What are some of the predominant symbols in the novel? What do they represent? What characters in the story have symbolic significance? How?

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