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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 Alice ask her family to do?

2. From where do Paul Sycamore and Mr. DePinna emerge?

3. Why does Ed ask Rheba about the dinner menu?

4. What does Penny assume about the man standing in the doorway?

5. How does Mr. Henderson leave?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Alice and Tony do after they return from their date? What does this show about their relationship?

2. How does Penny try to ease tension? Why does this not work?

3. How does this scene open? How does this continue to reflect the Sycamore family's quirkiness?

4. How is the household continuing as usual that evening? How are the characters even more strange than initially thought?

5. What does Alice declare to her father? Why does she say this?

6. Who is Essie Carmichael? What is she doing in this scene? How does she fit seamlessly into the Sycamore family?

7. Why is Ed feeling uncertain about his work? What might this foreshadow?

8. Describe the dinner. How does this begin to heal the wounds of the night before?

9. Why does Alice relent?

10. Why is the Grand Duchess at the Sycamore's home? How can the audience members relate to this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mr. Henderson is an unexpected guest to the home.

Part 1) Who is he? Why is he there?

Part 2) How does Grandpa react to Mr. Henderson's arrival? What is the outcome of this situation?

Part 3) How can both audiences of 1936 and audiences of today relate to this encounter? Would many agree or disagree with Grandpa? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

The title of the play is significant.

Part 1) To what does "You Can't Take It With You" refer?

Part 2) Whose philosophy is this? What message are the playwrights trying to get across to the audience members?

Part 3) Why would this philosophy be important to the audience when the play opened in 1936? How is it significant today?

Essay Topic 3

Tony cares about Alice's family.

Part 1) Why does he care about them?

Part 2) What does his desire to be with her family say about his relationship with his own family?

Part 3) What does Tony do to express his feelings towards his family?

Part 4) Would the average person feel so comfortable around the Sycamores? Why or why not? Use the text to support your response.

(see the answer keys)

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