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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. The Jerome house is described in the stage directions for Act I as being in “a lower middle income area inhabited mostly by” what groups?

2. Eugene tells the audience in Act I that he’s left instructions for his memoirs to not be opened until how many years after his death?

3. In Act I, Eugene says his name is the second worst name ever given to a male child. What is the “first worst” name?

4. Who complains of a splitting headache as Eugene plays imaginary baseball in the beginning of Act I?

5. How is the Jerome house described in the stage directions for Act I?

Short Essay Questions

1. What information does Eugene give to the reader/audience regarding Blanche Morton in the beginning of Act I?

2. What is Eugene doing as the play opens in Act I? How is his neighborhood described?

3. Why does Eugene’s mother call him inside in the beginning of Act I? What does Eugene relate about his ambitions in this scene?

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

5. What is Jack Jerome carrying when he arrives home at dinnertime in Act I? Why?

6. What is Eugene Jerome’s role in the play? How does his character stand out in Brighton Beach Memoirs?

7. What news does Stanley relate to Eugene in their room before dinner in Act I?

8. How does Blanche Morton respond to the news that Nora Morton relates to the family before dinner in Act I?

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

10. What do Nora and Laurie discuss while Eugene goes to the store in Act I?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and discuss the character of Eugene Jerome in Brighton Beach Memoirs. How old is Eugene? What are his aspirations? What are his relationships like within his household and family? How does Eugene change in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the health of Jack Jerome and his condition in the beginning of Act II. When and where did Jack suffer a heart attack? What have the doctors suggested in terms of his treatment? How has Jack responded to their advice?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the setting of the play. Examine the year in which the play is set, the location in New York of the Jerome household, and the political, international, and economic atmosphere of this setting. When did the Great Depression begin? What brought about the end of the Great Depression?

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This section contains 911 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample