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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. Who was a great friend with Dawn's father before he passed away?

2. What word does Swede use to describe his father as a mix with antagonism?

3. How many vows of renunciation does Merry say she has taken in the book?

4. What does Swede learn that Merry has become in Chapter 6?

5. Who let Merry stay with them in New York after the bombing?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Swede compare his life to Johnny Appleseed?

2. What does Swede realize regarding Merry's mental health in Chapter 5?

3. How is Swede's conversation with Bill, Jessie, and Lou described in Chapter 9?

4. How does Merry live as a Jain?

5. What does Lou say he is ashamed of Jerry for in Chapter 7?

6. How does Swede describe Barry Umanoff and Marcia Schwartz's marriage?

7. How does Swede describe Bill and Dawn in the end of Chapter 8?

8. What did Dr. Salzman counsel the Levovs about?

9. What does Merry tell Swede she did while in Miami in Chapter 6?

10. How are Lou's feelings towards the Nixon administration described in the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The story of Swede offers a unique and heartbreaking look into the life of an apparent American hero.

Part 1) What impact might Swede's upbringing and success as an athlete have on the way his life played out?

Part 2) What impact did Dawn's vanity and infidelity have on Swede's plight?

Part 3) What is telling of Swede based on his wanting to have a tribute to his father written by the narrator?

Essay Topic 2

One of the major factors to create Merry's militant actions is the impact of Swede's kiss to Merry as a child.

Part 1) What is telling of Merry based on her request that her father kiss her like he would her mother?

Part 2) What about Swede's sudden pullback after he had kissed Merry as a child could have caused her militant behavior later in life?

Part 3) What about Swede's inability to understand the impact his kiss had on Merry suggests he is unable to relate to others in his life?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the portrayal of the family structure in the book. What might the author be saying about the typical portrayal of the family structure based on his depiction of Swede's family?

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