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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 idea that we are all in love with the parent of the opposite sex is known as what?

2. Chapter 1 concludes by stating that the yearning to restore the bliss of mother-child oneness is _____________________.

3. "Our conscience is our _____________ installed in our mind."

4. Some primitive tribes have allowed their men to express what sort of envy?

5. According to Viorst, what are we all striving to be?

Short Essay Questions

1. Despite a constant desire for independence, why do young children keep coming back to their mothers?

2. Rather than be trapped in mourning for what we did not get as children, what does the author propose we do?

3. Why were Hansel and Gretel so close to each other relationally?

4. Who first discovered the Oedipus complex? How did he/she describe it?

5. What did Alfred Adler note about the relationship between siblings and how it influences who we become as adults?

6. According to Chapter 9, what kind of person lacks guilt?

7. Why did Art Buchwald, journalist and friend of the author, say that he understands about "scars on the brain"?

8. Why do children experience sibling rivalry?

9. Describe the four stages of standing alone.

10. Growing up means what, according to Chapter 10?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the process of us becoming our own person. How is our identity primarily formed? What pitfalls may we encounter along the way? How do our parents influence the process? Do they hinder or encourage the discovery of our primary self?

Essay Topic 2

Sigmund Freud first discovered and described the Oedipus complex. Write an essay about the beginning of this complex, why it was named after Oedipus, and how it continues to impact modern psychology. Using support from the book and your own life, discuss why or why not you may agree or disagree with Freud and Viorst's view of this theory.

Essay Topic 3

Using the book as reference, discuss the most important aspects of aging. Based on where you are in life right now, how do you think you will age? What characteristics of yourself will become magnified, and which ones will dissipate?

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