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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 magazine does Roy describe Walter frequently reading?

2. Celestial states, "Human emotion is beyond comprehension, smooth and uninterrupted, like" what (138)?

3. What are the two alternatives that Davina presents to Roy to answer on the phone on Christmas?

4. On what street does Davina live?

5. What folk artist known for her narrative quilts did Celestial tell Roy she wanted to be like when they met in New York?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Tamar and what advice does she give to Roy?

2. What impression did Big Roy have on Andre at Olive's funeral?

3. What is Roy's attitude when he first encounters Celestial in Atlanta in Part Two: "Prepare a Table for Me"?

4. What does Roy's missing tooth represent symbolically in the novel?

5. What does Roy note about the first page of his family's Bible?

6. What happens in the climax of the novel?

7. What advice does Walter give to Roy before his release?

8. What do the salmon croquettes represent symbolically in the novel?

9. How do Celestial and Roy's lives go on, as revealed in the Epilogue?

10. What are the reasons that Roy has hope for a second chance with Celestial after his release?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the legal aspects of An American Marriage. Under what circumstances is Roy found guilty? What evidence is presented at Roy's trial? How does Roy go about winning his appeal?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the symbolism of Old Hickey in the novel. What does the tree represent to Celestial? What does it represent to Andre? Why does Roy attempt to destroy the tree?

Essay Topic 3

Outline and discuss the plot structure of An American Marriage. Where in the novel do the following occur: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement? How does the novel progress chronologically? Does the author make use of flashbacks or flash-forwards?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 770 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample