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

2. Who does Swede see having sex in the kitchen of his house at the end of Chapter 7?

3. Whom does Swede feel are delighted with the outcome of corrupted children?

4. What is the name of the architect building Dawn and Swede's new home?

5. How much money does Rita keep from Merry that was from Swede?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Swede ponder about when thinking of Rita stealing his money?

2. What realization does Swede come to about Sheila in Chapter 9?

3. How does Merry live as a Jain?

4. What does Swede witness when he walks in on Dawn and Bill in his kitchen during the dinner party?

5. What does Jessie do to Lou at the end of the book?

6. What is the nature of Swede's memory of knocking Bill out on the football field?

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

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

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

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

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

Compare and contrast the character Dawn and Marcia. What do the differences in these two characters' ideologies suggest about the natures of their characters?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the role of stuttering in the book. What did Merry's bout with stuttering suggest about her mental health?

(see the answer keys)

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