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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. Eugene says in Act I that he “got hit with a baseball right in the back of the skull” and had double vision for a week and still had to do what chore?

2. What wars is Laurie reading about in the opening of Act I?

3. What role did actor Peter Michael Goetz play in the original cast of Brighton Beach Memoirs?

4. What ailment is Laurie Morton said to suffer from in Act I?

5. What did Blanche’s husband die from?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the central conflict for Nora Morton in Act I of the play?

2. How is the setting of Brighton Beach Memoirs described in the opening stage directions for Act I? What year is the play set in?

3. Discuss the narrative style of Brighton Beach Memoirs. What purpose does the use of direct address serve in the play?

4. What conclusion is reached regarding Nora Morton’s proposal to her family in Act I?

5. How are Stanley’s actions revealed as honorable in Act I of the play?

6. What do Kate and Blanche discuss alone downstairs after dinner in Act I?

7. How does Eugene describe his cousin Laurie Morton in Act I?

8. What decision does Stanley reach regarding his job in Act I? How does Eugene help him?

9. How is the Jerome house described in the stage directions for Act I? What comprises the first floor of the house?

10. How does Eugene’s character relate to the theme of responsibility in Act I?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of coming of age in Brighton Beach Memoirs. Where is Eugene in the process of growing up in Act I? How do you foresee his character evolving in the play? How has Eugene become an adult in some ways by the end of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Describe and discuss the financial atmosphere of the Jerome household as depicted in Act I. How many jobs do each of the family members work? How easily are their expenses met? Why are finances a central point of concern in the family?

Essay Topic 3

Examine and discuss the actions, objectives, and obstacles of Nora Morton in Act I of Brighton Beach Memoirs. Why does Nora want to be in a Broadway musical? What prevents her from doing so?

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