Dancing at Lughnasa Test | Mid-Book Test - Hard

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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 the Mundy family use as fuel for the stove?

2. How does Maggie think Gerry Evans looks?

3. Who is Bernie O'Donnell?

4. Who is the joker of the Mundy family?

5. When is La Lughnasa held in the old days?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Kate explain Uncle Jack's strange behavior?

2. The song Maggie sings says that if the Irish don't vote for De Valera, they'll be like Gandhi and his goat. What does this mean?

3. Why do you think the parish priest doesn't want to look Kate in the eye since Uncle Jack came home?

4. Why do you think Rose can describe the Festival of Lughnasa to her sisters?

5. What is Maggie's reaction to hearing that her old friend Bernie O'Donnell is in town, and why does she react this way?

6. Why does Chris call Danny Bradley a bastard?

7. What does Maggie mean when she tells Michael that someday he's going to fill some woman's life with happiness?

8. What do you think Michael means when he talks of a widening breach between what seemed to be and what was?

9. How does Kate feel about Michael, and how can you tell?

10. What does Agnes mean when she asks Chris, "Do you want to make a pagan of yourself?"

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What do you make of the fact that Michael is often not to be found when the other characters call for him? Cite the passages where they discuss his disappearance when he is needed. Is this a foreshadowing device? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Uncle Jack's uniform is an important symbol in this story. Analyze the appearance of his uniform in the mind's eye of young Michael and the rest of his family, and the appearance of his uniform at the end. What does the change represent? How has the family's view of Uncle Jack changed after he has been home for a few weeks?

Essay Topic 3

At different times in the play, every character dances except for Michael. Select two of the characters and analyze the dance of each. What does their dance mean? What does the dance tell the audience about the character? If you select Michael as one of the characters, explain why you think he is the only one who does not dance.

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This section contains 854 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample