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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. Mary drives the children to pick Joseph up at night. What does she do on the way home?

2. In Irish Chicago of that day, what does a refusal to become a priest after twelve years of seminary make Joe Carroll?

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

4. Who is a sexual image ideal for the author?

5. How does Joe's childhood compare to the social standing he later achieves?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Elvis' significance in this story?

2. Why does Joe feel like a disgrace for leaving the seminary?

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

4. Who is in attendance for his first mass and sermon?

5. What are Joseph's and Mary's roles in their family?

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

7. How do 1950s Americans perceive Pope Pius XII?

8. How does James honor his father in this chapter?

9. How does James, the anti-war priest from a military family feel giving his first sermon?

10. What do Joe and Mary do for their Chicago guests and relatives from Chicago?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

James goes through three revolutions of change.

Part 1) What are the three revolutions?

Part 2) Give examples from the text that show these revolutions.

Part 3) How do these revolutions influence him later in life?

Essay Topic 2

Walter Cronkite declares the war will end in stalemate.

Part 1) What does the President learn from this message?

Part 2) What does the President do because of this message?

Part 3) What does this show about the power of the civilian population?

Essay Topic 3

Silence is a theme throughout this book.

Part 1) When are characters silent in this book?

Part 2) Why are they silent?

Part 3) How does their silence affect the choices they make and their relationships with those around them?

(see the answer keys)

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