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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. According to Grandfather Leary, who is the best Leary?

2. Why does Muriel call Macon after he's picked up Edward from Meow-Bow?

3. How do the Leary children react to the news that they are not going to be world travelers?

4. What happens at the restaurant Macon goes to in New York?

5. How does Macon spend his time after returning from his trip?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 19, how have Sarah and Macon picked up their domestic life where they left off?

2. What does Muriel tell Macon about herself in Chapter 7?

3. Why does Macon keep Edward, and what does he agree to?

4. In Chapter 12, Macon begins to spend a lot of time with Muriel. What is Rose's response to his absence from home and why is it significant?

5. Why does Macon call Muriel in New York?

6. Why is Muriel upset about Macon finding out she has a son and what does her misunderstanding lead to?

7. When Macon's neighbor, Garner Bolt, visits him, what does he reveal people's perception of Macon?

8. In Chapter 8, what are Macon and his siblings perceptions of Edward's training?

9. At Rose's and Julian's wedding, why is Macon worried that he's attracted to women like his mother?

10. What is Muriel's response to her mother's revelations about her and what does she give Macon?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Holidays function as significant events for Macon and his family. Discuss the family dynamics at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and what they reveal about the characters' relationships with one another.

Essay Topic 2

Describe Macon's role as a father in the novel.

1. How does he identify as a father-figure to Alexander?

2. How does he compare to the other fathers in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the Leary Family and the Dugan Family. Discuss the following in terms of their function or dysfunction, their relationship to society and one another, and how Macon and Muriel fit in or don't it with them:

1. The roles of mothers.

2. The roles of fathers.

3. The roles of siblings.

(see the answer keys)

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