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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 town did Roberta first find a job in?

2. What is the name of Clyde's cousin?

3. Where does Sparser flip the car?

4. Where does Clyde say his father worked?

5. What does Clyde have to do before Samuel and his family give him special privileges and social attention?

Short Essay Questions

1. In what ways is Clyde becoming a less sympathetic character?

2. Why does Clyde think Jephson is his last hope?

3. Why does the Governor grant Clyde a hearing?

4. How does Dreiser use the crime to show the American class structure?

5. How do the Samuel Griffith family react to Clyde's popularity?

6. What impression does Clyde give to the onlookers?

7. How does Roberta feel about Clyde's new friends?

8. Why does Clyde accept McMillan's company?

9. Why does Heit get in contact with Orville Mason?

10. How does Clyde's life change when he finds the job at the hotel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare Clyde and Roberta.

1) What is their relationship with their parents?

2) What is their relationship to each other?

3) Do you think they were the perfect match?

Essay Topic 2

Dreiser was a socialist. Using two examples from the novel, discuss the ways the story reflects Dreiser's political ideas?

Essay Topic 3

The novel depicts the American dream going badly wrong. What do you think is the American dream? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the American dream? How does the American dream affect the mindset of American society?

(see the answer keys)

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