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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. How old was Jack when his mother died?

2. What is Ruby's dying request?

3. Who had Jack proposed to before Ruby?

4. Why did Jack feel that Lonnie was partially responsible for his father's death?

5. How could Jack tell Ruby was not a typical migrant worker?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Jack's first impression of Ruby?

2. What did Jack once think that Lonnie Hoover would give and didn't?

3. Why did Ruby marry John Woodrow?

4. How did Jack meet Ruby?

5. How was Ruby not like Jack's mother?

6. What did Ruby and Jack's mother have in common?

7. After they were married, how did John Woodrow treat Ruby?

8. What did Ruby plan to do to John Woodrow after she caught him cheating?

9. What memory did Ruby recall when thinking of her diagnosis?

10. When Jack shot his gun, what did Ruby think of and why didn't she tell Jack?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

After writing fifteen chapters with Jack and Ruby as narrators, the author switches narrative styles in the last chapter to third person omnipotent. Explain why having dual narrators was not only beneficial, but critical to the story, and why it was necessary to switch styles for the ending.

Essay Topic 2

Explore the theme of grief in its various forms as it appears throughout the story, e.g. Ruby's grief over the inability to have children, Jack's grief over the loss of his parents, Ruby's grief for leaving her family for John Woodrow, etc.

Essay Topic 3

Explore the theme of judgment throughout the novel, touching on:

a) Burr's judgment of Tiny Fran.

b) Mrs. Pitt and Sudie Bees conflicting judgments of the migrant workers.

c) Cecil's judgment regarding Ruby's soul.

Be sure to cite examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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