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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 was Mr. Flood's strange ailment before he is cured?

2. What do Jack and Nan do in front of her house after the rugby club dance?

3. Where do Nan and Jack wake up together?

4. What does Simon want from Eve?

5. Whose death becomes the talk of the town?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Heather and Benny do when Benny finds her at the cottage?

2. Thinking about Jack and Nan, how close does Benny come to the real truth?

3. What advice of Nan's does Benny use to dissuade her father from walking her to Eve's party and coming to collect her later?

4. What is the exchange between Jack and Benny the morning after Jack took Nan to a dance?

5. How does Jack show his naivety after being at the cottage three times with Nan?

6. What do Benny and Annabel learn about the lawyer?

7. What is Jacks suggestion to Benny when they can go around together in Dublin?

8. What advice does Dr. Johnson give Annabel when Eddie dies and why does he give it?

9. What is the resolution for Benny at the end of the novel?

10. Why are Eve and Benny not happy with Nan's seeing Simon?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on Irony in Circle of Friends. (1) Begin with a discussion about what makes a situation ironic. (2) Use Nan as an illustration of the one who always knows what to do or say to put people at ease being the character who does the most damage to the friends. (3) Mention the irony of Dr. Foley, who works to save lives, being the one who takes Frank's life. (4) Explain the irony of both Nan and Simon thinking the other one is rich. (5) Note the irony of Mrs. Healy marrying Sean.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on Simon Westward's Money Problems. Discuss the two sides of Simon--his willingness to help Eve with her tuition money and Heather's obvious affection for him as contrasted with his dalliance with Nan while still pursuing the English widow in order to get the money to save his family's estate. Conclude with an observation about how financial problems often affect the personality of the people who have them.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay of at least two typed, double-spaced pages on Dysfunctional Families. (1) The Mahon family is the most dysfunctional because of Brian's alcoholism. Explain in detail why that is, speculating whether Nan would have been the same had her family life been better. (2) Even good families have times of dysfunction as in the case with Dr. Foley's family with his wife's insecurity. (3) The Westward family's dysfunction has literally destroyed the family unit. Your essay should discuss in detail the dysfunctions of each of these families and point out the results of those problems.

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