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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. What does Batman want to know about the character he is chasing off the roof tops?

2. According to Batman, how long does it take a person to fall from Gotham City's twin towers?

3. Who stalks Commissioner Gordon when he walks outside to smoke a cigar?

4. Which character urges the public to give Harvey Dent a chance to prove himself?

5. What does Batman find on one of the bank robbers?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Commissioner Gordon is attacked by a member of the Mutants gang, why does thinking of his wife Sarah make it easy for him to fight back?

2. What is the significance of the storm breaking over Gotham City after weeks of intense heat?

3. In what ways are the soaring high temperatures symbolic of the violence in Gotham City?

4. During his initial attack on the Mutants, Batman thinks of Dick Grayson and that they had never faced anything like the Mutants' leader, only humans. Why is the significance of Batman thinking of Dick Grayson at this time?

5. How does the attempted mugging of Bruce Wayne trigger a flashback to a former violent act?

6. Why does Batman automatically accept Carrie as Robin as opposed to finding and selecting his own candidate for the position?

7. When Gordon relights the bat signal, what effects does this have on Gotham City?

8. How is the media's report on Batman's return representative of the theme of duality in the novel?

9. One of the criminals Batman hurt attempts to sue him and asks the Gotham City Police to press charges against him. What is the irony of these actions?

10. How does Batman continue to use fear to cripple the younger criminals he encounters?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How do the author's methods at the beginning of the novel set the tone?

Part 1) How does the report of Bruce Wayne's racing accident being mentioned during the same piece as the anniversary of the last Batman sighting affect the tone?

Part 2) How does Bruce Wayne's brush with death further the tone of restlessness?

Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and provide evidence for your opinion.

Essay Topic 2

Batman's new Robin is a girl, and one who is seemingly unaware of the dangers the job. Many of the women Bruce Wayne/Batman has in his life are endangered or harmed in some way. Select one of the female characters (Robin, Selena Kyle, Sarah Gordon, or Commissioner Yindel) and define how their representations are reflections of Batman's relentless attitude toward upholding justice. Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and provide evidence for your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

The theme of heroism and what it means to be a hero is another theme that is prevalent throughout "The Dark Knight Returns." Choose one (Batman, Superman, The Joker, Two Face, the Mutants and discuss how that/those character(s) define and/or react to heroism. Find descriptions from the text to support your answer and provide evidence for your opinion.

(see the answer keys)

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