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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 Flannery attend a school for writers after college graduation?

2. Flannery tells the Fitzgeralds that she is not good at ______________.

3. What is the title of Flannery's first story published in a magazine?

4. What liquor does Flannery keep at home as a pain killer?

5. What color is Flannery's house?

Short Essay Questions

1. How can a photo of Flannery falling with a bottle of liquor in her hand be misconstrued?

2. What is the name of Flannery's home and how does she describe it?

3. What does Flannery write about the Ku Klux Klan and racism in a letter in this section?

4. How does Flannery separate Catholics from Catholicism?

5. What is revealed about Flannery's lifestyle in this section?

6. What is Flannery's lifestyle after she leaves Yaddo?

7. What is the purpose of the Editorial Note?

8. What angst does Flannery experience regarding a new editor and the reimbursement of an advance?

9. How does Flannery describe her driving test debacle to Maryat Lee?

10. What event occurs to validate Flannery's Celtic roots?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Flannery O'Connor was no stranger to disappointment and rejection. From what you know of O'Connor's life and personality through these letters, what were her biggest letdowns? How did she manage through them? How did her coping skills evidence themselves in many aspects of her life? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the overall setting and time period for the letters. What was America like during this time period? What was O'Connor's South like during this time period? How important are the time period and setting to the attitudes and issues of Flannery and her friends and business colleagues?

Essay Topic 3

Sadness takes on an almost human persona in these letters. Why did O'Connor's letters have a hint of sadness? What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 755 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample