View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Pearl think will be very difficult?

2. Why does Pearl not get along well with the boarders in her childhood home?

3. Who writes frequent letters to each other?

4. What does Pearl finally admit to May?

5. What has Auntie Hu managed to do despite the new governmental controls?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Pearl called into a government office and what is she told?

2. What assignment is Joy given in the village, and why?

3. Describe Joy's trip to China.

4. What information does Pearl learn right after entering China that relieves her mind?

5. Who does Pearl visit one morning and how does the older woman seem?

6. What happens when Joy calls her boyfriend Joe when she is wandering through Chinatown?

7. What organization does Joy join in college and why does she end up in China?

8. How does Joy get into China?

9. What does Joy think about when listening to the propaganda about working hard?

10. What does Pearl think about concerning Joy's father, Z. G.?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The government clearly has no idea how to properly plant and maintain field harvests, and they have the peasants so full of fear of be labeled counter-revolutionary that they won't speak up when they hear the terrifying field plans for The Great Leap Forward. Had anyone tried to convince the brigade leader that planting wheat in a cornfield wouldn't work, he would not have listened to their argument anyway. The brigade leader grew up in the city his entire life, is illiterate, but managed to secure a high-ranking position in the new government.

1. Explain the process you think would have to happen to beat people down so far that they would plant a food crop that would not grow. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

2. What do you think are the possible problems that might arise from having a city person run a farm. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

3. What do you see are the problems that are caused by having citizens in a country so fearful to speak out over a plan that is obvious to them will starve the population that they plant the wheat without saying a word to the commune leader. Use examples from the text to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character, wondering if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as "Dreams of Joy" help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading "Dreams of Joy"? Why or why not.

3. Choose one specific incident in "Dreams of Joy" to discuss and compare one of the characters' response to how you think you would respond.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss one of the following:

1. Trace and analyze the theme of growth in "Dreams of Joy". Consider the following questions as you write: What characters are most concerned with growth? Why? What are some symbols of growth? Symbols of rigidity? What characters seem rigid?

2. Trace and analyze the theme of courage in "Dreams of Joy". Which characters struggle with this issue? Why? Which characters seem to possess courage? Why?

3. Trace and analyze the theme of death in "Dreams of Joy". Consider the death of Mike as an random act of nature and the death of Luis as the result of conscious violence. Consider also in your answer the death of innocence in Rick from the beginning of the book to the end.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,466 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample