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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. Larry's whereabouts are discussed, but Rose says that not knowing his location is ___________ for her.

2. Mr. Cartier tells the sisters that the ___________ will be hard to prove, so they need to focus more on keeping up appearances.

3. Rose's legacy to her daughters was her __________, her way of looking things, according to Ginny.

4. ___________ says that just as their dreams are coming true, they are living in a nightmare as others have wrecked their dreams.

5. Who does Ginny remember always watching her as she got beat by Larry as a child, even though Ginny screamed?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Rose want Ginny to do for her daughters, Pammy and Linda, that night instead of taking them back with Ginny?

2. How did Ginny cover for Caroline when they were younger, Caroline being 14 and Ginny being 22?

3. Why does Ty hope for good weather at the beginning of this chapter?

4. What happened to Rose's old home when the farm sale occurred in the springtime?

5. Why has Henry Dodge, the Lutheran minister, come to call on Ginny, even though she did not ask him to come?

6. What did Pete tell Rose the week before when she told him about her affair with Jess?

7. What does Ginny do when she slips out of bed as Ty is sleeping one night?

8. What does Ty discover in the old dairy barn he's converting for the hog operation?

9. What does Ginny do between shifts at her new job as a waitress?

10. How is it shown that Ty is the better farmer of all of his neighbors and their farms?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ginny finally escapes the farm and the country, leaving without explanation and without any plan for her future.

Part 1: Why do you think Ginny decided to leave when she did?

Part 2: Why do you think Ginny decided to leave without telling anyone she was going?

Part 3: What do Ginny's actions surrounding leaving say about her and about her emotional state at the time of her departure?

Essay Topic 2

The rigidity of Larry in the beginning of the story strikes a reader as odd, though perhaps just something that is inherent to his temperament.

Part 1: Why do you think Larry is so rigid about his schedule?

Part 2: Why are Larry's daughters keen to helping Larry adhere to his rigid schedule?

Part 3: What happens when Larry's schedule is not followed? Does this mean his schedule was to blame or some other factor?

Essay Topic 3

Much of the novel is sad, depressing, and perhaps even tragic. However, in the face of all this tragedy, it is hard to begin to see who might have suffered more.

Part 1: Describe the tragedy of one character in this story. How has his/her past and/or present pain changed him/her?

Part 2: Do you think it's possible to avoid tragedy in this story? Why or why not?

Part 3: Why do you think the author focused so much on the tragedy of the characters in this story?

(see the answer keys)

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