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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. No longer Father James, a priest, what is James Carroll?

2. How is James, Joe and Mary's second son, born?

3. FDR is an admired president because of the way he treats what?

4. James is in college now and working as what for the summer?

5. Why does James feel as if he knows the Pope?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Joe become a part of Kelly's political hypocrisy?

2. How does James perceive his family's time in Germany?

3. How does James change from his pro-war attitude?

4. What are the two tracks James sees in his life in Wiesbaden?

5. How does Roosevelt's inauguration differ from past presidential inaugurations?

6. What is Elvis' significance in this story?

7. How does Joe Carroll catch Roger Touhy?

8. How does Roger Touhy who is a Chicago bank robber, kidnapper and killer that have a significant impact on James' father's career?

9. Why is FDR an admired president?

10. How does James' antiwar stance affect his father?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

James' and his father's differing opinions permanently affect their relationship.

Part 1) How is their relationship when James is young?

Part 2) What causes the rift in their relationship?

Part 3) Why are they unable to heal their relationship?

Essay Topic 2

When given a crayon, Joseph, in the depths of his Alzheimer's, writes his wife's name repeatedly.

Part 1) Why do you think he does this?

Part 2) What does this say about his choice to leave the seminary and wed Mary?

Part 3) How might this make Mary feel? Why?

Essay Topic 3

The B-52 Bomber is an important symbol in this book.

Part 1) What is a B-52 Bomber? What is its purpose?

Part 2) How is the B-52 Bomber significant in this book?

Part 3) How does the B-52 Bomber symbolize James' opinion of war and the military?

(see the answer keys)

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