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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 another "easy sin" Rudolph confessed to Father Schwartz in Chapter 2?

2. What did Rudolph do after his father had told him to go to confession?

3. Why did Rudolph's father tell him to go to confession three days before the narrative present?

4. Why does Father Schwartz "pray aloud for twilight to come" (1) at the start of the story?

5. What scent makes Father Schwartz's heart ache as he walks the streets on Saturday night?

Short Essay Questions

1. What plan does Rudolph come up with at the end of Chapter 2 to avoid having to take communion at church the next day?

2. What does Father Schwartz do on Saturdays after confession? What happens as he passes the drug store that increases his sadness?

3. Why did Rudolph stay and confess despite his urge to leave while he waited at the confessional in Chapter 2?

4. What did Rudolph try to force himself to do as he waited at the confessional in Chapter 2?

5. Who is Rudolph Miller? How does Father Schwartz behave when he first comes to his house in Chapter 1?

6. What "easy sins" did Rudolph confess to Father Schwartz in Chapter 2?

7. What object in Father Schwartz's room reminds him of "gruesome labyrinths" (1)? Why does he stare at this object in the first place?

8. What is Father Schwartz's mood at the start of the story? How do you know?

9. What words does Father Schwartz use when addressing Rudolph in the confessional in Chapter 2?

10. Who is Blatchford Sarnmenington? What happens when Rudolph thinks of him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay analyzing Fitzgerald's language style and word choice in "Absolution." What are some words that stand out to you and why? What words are repeated? What words are most impactful? Explain your answers.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay examining the confessional as a symbol in "Absolution." In what scenes does the confessional appear? What is the context? How does this symbol develop the narrative?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay describing the imagery used in "Absolution." Indicate examples of imagery in the text and identify possible meanings.

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