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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. Who is Tull talking to in Chapter 8: "Tull"?

2. Who does Cora say "admits that a good breed of cows or hogs pays in the long run" in Chapter 2: "Cora"?

3. Where is Cora from?

4. Who does Dewey Dell sit next to in the wagon in Chapter 25: "Darl"?

5. Why does Peabody hope for Addie's impending death in Chapter 11: "Peabody"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is indicated by Kate Tull’s concern about the cakes that don’t sell in Chapter 2: “Cora”?

2. How is Anse Bundren characterized in Chapter 5: “Darl”? How does Jewel differ from his father?

3. What is significant about Vardaman’s assessment of his mother in Chapter 15: “Vardaman”?

4. What religious philosophy is presented in Chapter 16: “Tull”?

5. What is the narrative style of As I Lay Dying? Who is introduced in Chapter 1: “Darl”?

6. Why is Jewel Bundren angry in Chapter 4: “Jewel”? What does his anger indicate about Jewel’s character?

7. What does "luck" mean to Anse Bundren?

8. What actions and events comprise Chapter 22: “Cash”? How does the chapter end?

9. How is Cora Tull characterized as a narrator in Chapter 6: “Cora”?

10. What scenario does Dewey Dell recollect in Chapter 7: “Dewey Dell”?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of family in the novel. How do the Bundren family members feel about one another? What is the “glue” that holds the family together? How do the family relationships change in the course of the story?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the character of Jewel Bundren in As I Lay Dying. How old is Jewel? What are Jewel's relationships like with his parents? What are Jewel's relationships like with his siblings? What are Jewel's main objectives in the novel?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's use of irony in As I Lay Dying. What are examples of dramatic irony in the novel? What are examples of situational irony? How does each example in the novel serve the story?

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