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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. Where does Janey go to her sister's wedding?

2. Who sends Ward a letter telling him that the real estate industry in Ocean City is booming?

3. When the play closes after two weeks, what does Eleanor and Eveline fail to receive?

4. In the brief bio section of the Newsreel in pages 283-304, whose biography is discussed?

5. Who cuts a trip short in Europe because of the threat of war?

Short Essay Questions

1. After Ward leaves Annabelle, where does he live, and what is life like there?

2. What happens when Charley's girlfriend gets pregnant?

3. How does Eleanor's employment situation change when Eveline returns from Europe?

4. How does Janey change when she lives in New York?

5. Why is Charley eager to leave Fargo?

6. What happens when Ward accepts the job from McGill?

7. How did Janey become the personal secretary of J. Ward Moorehouse?

8. What new relationships does Mac form in Mexico City?

9. What effect does the war have on Ward's relationship with Gertrude and his work?

10. What does Mac do when the Zapata arrives in Mexico City?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Politics play a significant role throughout the entire book. In the 42nd Parallel, John dos Passos asks and sometimes offers occasional answers to big philosophical questions about the role and rights of workers in society, the equality of men and women, and important figures of the early 20th century. Do you find John dos Passos' arguments convincing? Why or why not? Do any of his characters show strong political opinions and, if so, about what? Describe.

Essay Topic 2

The 42nd Parallel was known as the major storm path across North America. The 42nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 42 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 42nd Parallel of latitude runs right through the heart of the United States. What do you think of John dos Passos' choice of title for the book? Is it appropriate? Explain. How does this title relate to the five characters of Fainy McCreary (Mac), Janey, J. Ward Moorehouse, Eleanor Stoddard, and Charley Anderson?

Essay Topic 3

Explain John dos Passos' use of irony in the 42nd Parallel. Cite examples of at least two different instances of humor and explain why the author used them where he did.

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