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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 long had it been since the narrator saw Sonny before his arrest?

2. What is the name of Earl's daughter?

3. Which of the following food items does Louise eat in front of her husband as an act of defiance?

4. In the story "Sonny's Blues," what does the narrator do for a living?

5. What is the name of the man with whom Willi's mother has sexual relations?

Short Essay Questions

1. What type of relationship does George have with his ex-students?

2. What reaction does the narrator have when watching Sonny play his music in the story "Sonny's Blues"?

3. How does Arty react in the story "The Bystander" when his father is committed to a mental institution?

4. What is Earl's first impression of the town Rock Springs?

5. Why doesn't Push like John Williams, and what does he do about it?

6. Why does Lenore comfort George at the end of the story "Weekend"?

7. What reason does Raymond Carver give about why he wanted to compose this collection of short stories?

8. What does Sonny blame his heroin addiction on?

9. What is Sean's married life like?

10. How does Eileen react to the news of Carlyle's illness in the story "Fever"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the story "Weekend," age becomes a factor in the relationships George forms. First, describe the women that George has a tendency to get romantically involved with. Where does he meet these women? What does their age difference tend to be? Explain the ways that George medicates himself through romantic relationships. What else does George depend on to make himself feel good about the age differences in his love life? Be sure to include examples from the text that you believe strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 2

In the story "The Amish Farmer," Vance, a teacher, attempts to tell a story to his students to explain point-of-view. First, describe the story that Vance tells his students. How does Vance believe this story shows point-of-view narration? Do you agree with Vance? Why or why not? Then, describe Vance's students' reaction to his story. How does the reaction from the students exemplify Vance's lesson for the readers? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

Essay Topic 3

The story "The Wedding" is all about loneliness. First, describe the loneliness of Sam, Elizabeth, and the child. What is the same about their loneliness? What is different? Describe the relationship between Elizabeth's loneliness and her passion for reading. How do these two seemingly unrelated things affect each other? Finally, describe how loneliness brought Sam and Elizabeth together in marriage. In the end, do you think the couple was settling, or were they truly in love? How can you tell? Be sure to include examples from the text to strengthen your arguments.

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