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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. In the first Book of Abigail, what does Abigail believe she sees over the river?

2. What does Abigail see in place of the fence?

3. In what direction has the sun set at the beginning of "The Keepers of the House"?

4. What attacks William so that he coats his body with muck?

5. In the first Book of Abigail, what does Abigail water?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does William live his life after the death of his wife and son?

2. What does the narrator say in the first section that indicates that she might be lonely?

3. Describe the still that William eventually finds.

4. What is the reaction when William subscribes to the New York Tribune at his daughter's request?

5. What has survived the frost in the first section to Abigail's surprise and how?

6. What caused the "ugly smears" in the sky in October in the first section?

7. How is the content of "The Keepers of the House" organized?

8. What does William Howland do for amusement while living in Atlanta?

9. What does the narrator mean when she says that the county will find out about her oldest daughters being sent away because "they always know everything"?

10. What memories does Abigail think of after she thinks the owl flies over the river?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the effects of the Depression on the Howland family.

Essay Topic 2

In "The Keepers of the House," there are two Abigail books. One is the shortest book, and the other is the largest. Compare and contrast the purpose of these two books in this novel.

Essay Topic 3

Identify five examples of racial tension in "The Keepers of the House," and analyze them.

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This section contains 710 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample