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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 nickname do the women in town have for George Carver?

2. What do Betsy and Josephine tell Phillip about their father's dress and appearance at these clubs?

3. How many of George Carver's children marry?

4. Where is the Blue Moon?

5. Where do both Betsy and Josephine have their social debuts?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 3, Phillip describes how Betsy and Josephine settle into their lives in Memphis after their failed engagements. He speaks with some pride about their accomplishments. What are those accomplishments? What type of life have Betsy and Josephine made for themselves in Memphis?

2. In Chapter 1, Phillip begins to explain the story of his family and their move from Nashville in 1931. What does he think is important for the reader to know in order for the story to make sense? Where does he begin the story? What does he tell us about the people whose conflict made the family's move necessary?

3. In Chapter 5, Phillip's narrative presents many examples of Alex's ability to befriend both Mr Carver and Phillip Carver. What are the examples Phillip gives?

4. In Chapter 2, Phillip tells of the end of Betsy and Wyant's relationship. What incident causes the beginning of the end of the relationship? How does Betsy react to her father? How does Wyant react? What is father's objection and how does he present this to Betsy?

5. In Chapter 5, Phillip leaves his father's home and moves to New York City. How does he manage this? Why does he choose New York? How does his family react?

6. In Chapter 6, Betsy describes one evening at the Blue Moon when Mr. Carver arrives with a group of six people all of whom are much younger than he. What happens that evening to Mr. Carver?

7. In Chapter 1, the narrator begins the story with an explanation of the perils of a widower with middle-aged children,dating. What is the major issue faced by the widower? What examples of this situation does the narrator provide?

8. Betsy and Josephine always speak to Mr. Carver and Philip about their late-night dates and whether or not they should marry. In Chapter 6, Phillip knows that this is a game the two sisters play. Are there romances for these two women? Who does Phillip realize these phantom men are?

9. In Chapter 1, how do Mr. Carver's daughters initially handle his dating? How does this change when he begins seeing one woman exclusively?

10. In Chapter 4, Phillip discusses Alex's concerns about Mr. Carver. Phillip listens, but thinks that Alex may not know his sisters as well as he thinks he does. What does Alex fear will happen to Mr. Carver and why? How does Phillip see the situation?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the climactic point in the novel? Is it believable? How does it change the action in the novel?

Essay Topic 2

Are Betsy and Josephine justified in preventing Father from marrying and cloistering him in his home with their constant oversight? Defend your position.

Essay Topic 3

In many novels, dialogue drives the action. In A Summons To Memphis, there is no dialogue in the traditional sense; the book is written in a narrative style. Why do you think the author has chosen to write in narrative style? Are there any characters in the book you would find easier to understand if you were to read his/her words as dialogue?

(see the answer keys)

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