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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 is hard for Tony?
2. What annoys Tony the most when Milly arrives?
3. What does Tony miss while he is drugged?
4. Who does Tony engage to start the divorce proceedings?
5. What does Messinger hope to find now?
Short Essay Questions
1. How has John Beaver fared through the saga of Tony and Brenda's failed marriage?
2. How does Tony finally take some of his own personal power back and take charge of his destiny?
3. What seems most important to Tony as he lies possibly dying and alone?
4. How does Brenda use the death of her son to justify her request for a divorce?
5. What is Tony's position in Brenda's social circle by the end of this chapter?
6. What is the symbolic significance of the first book that Tony reads?
7. What are the indications that Tony may still be plagued by a "curse" or bad luck?
8. How does Brenda take the news of her son's death?
9. What happens after Brenda has written Tony and telling him about John Beaver?
10. Why do you think Tony decides to go away for awhile?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The men in A HANDFUL OF DUST often seem to get the bad end of the stick from the women in their lives. Some say that Waugh's somewhat compassionate treatment of Brenda and other women in his other novels who have "strayed" is a reflection of his own life. Discuss the following:
1. How does Waugh portray the relationship between men and women in A HANDFUL OF DUST?
2. Do you think Waugh's portrayal is accurate? How much of his portrayal of how the women treat the men may be a reflection of his personal experience? (This may require a little research).
3. Are there any women in the text who are portrayed admirably? Who? Give examples.
Essay Topic 2
In most relationships, each person is getting something out of the relationship, whether or not the relationship seems good. Discuss the following:
1. What do you think John Beaver is getting out of his affair with Brenda, especially considering he does not seem to particularly like Brenda.
2. What do you think Brenda is getting out of his affair with John, especially considering she does not seem to particularly find John all that interesting.
3. What is Tony getting out of the marriage with Brenda after she begins staying in London for great lengths of time?
Essay Topic 3
Some readers and/or critics might say that A HANDFUL OF DUST contains some elements of a dark comedy. Discuss the following giving specific examples:
1. Define dark comedy and give some examples of works of dark comedy in literature and/or film.
2. Discuss several scenes from A HANDFUL OF DUST that might contain elements of a dark comedy.
3. Why do you think Waugh incorporates elements of dark comedy into this work?
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This section contains 1,474 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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