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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. Harriet Weaver and Ezra Pound told Joyce that Finnegan's Wake needed more ______________.

2. In 1923, Joyce had surgery on his ________________.

3. What did Joyce read to get inspiration for his writing in 1918?

4. Who became Joyce's unpaid secretary?

5. Why did many of Joyce's students pay him but not take lessons?

Short Essay Questions

1. Which playwright refused to buy an advance copy of ULYSSES?

2. How long had the Joyces been in Trieste in 1915 and what was Joyce's life like at this point?

3. What efforts did Joyce make during this period to get some of his work published?

4. How did Joyce continue to use his family as inspiration for his work?

5. How were ULYSSES and EXILES received differently at this point in time?

6. What health problems did Joyce have to manage during this time?

7. How was ULYSSES received in the 1922-1923 time period?

8. How did Joyce take advantage of his health problems to publicize a theater one night?

9. What health problems plagued Joyce during this period and what new work did he envision?

10. What play did Joyce produce and what problem did he have with the lead actor?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

James Joyce was no stranger to hurt and pain. From what you know of Joyce's life through this book, what were his biggest sorrows and worst betrayals? How did he manage through them? How did his coping skills evidence themselves in many aspects of his life? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the book. Why would writers have a lonely life even though it may have seemed exciting and glamorous to other people? Why would Nora have had an especially lonely life being the wife of James Joyce? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

Essay Topic 3

Create a brief character study of Nora Barnacle Joyce. What did she look like? What were her positive personality traits? What were some of her negative characteristics? What were her hopes and fears? What were her primary motivations during her life?

(see the answer keys)

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