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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 did Ruth formerly drive her father's car?

2. What is the name of the new man Aunt Mary hires in this chapter?

3. Which of Ruth's friends dies in this chapter?

4. What kind of weather is it on the day on the wedding?

5. Where does Ruth move to after Delaware?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does James feel about his father?

2. Who is David Wind?

3. Describe the blood sacrifice of a chicken.

4. How is Ruth's life getting better at the age of sixty five?

5. How does Rocky try to take advantage of Ruth?

6. How does Ruth's relationship with Andrew affect her family life?

7. What does James later learn about his mother's driving skills?

8. How does Andrew help Ruth get over her mother's death?

9. How does Ruth react to Irene's death?

10. Describe the time James tried to teach his mother how to drive.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Look at the structure of the book.

1) Discuss elements of the narrative structure: exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the book's ideas?

2) Examine the way McBride uses other people in the story to express his ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss with the students first person point of view. Why do the students think first person point of view is not necessarily reliable? What moments in the book do the students think are not so reliable and why? With the students discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using the first person.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss differences between the novel and autobiography formats. What are the main elements of a novel? What are the main elements of an autobiography? What can novelists express that an autobiographer cannot? How can autobiographies keep to the facts while still maintaining a level of entertainment?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 780 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample