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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 fetches the rope to assist Peabody in climbing the bluff in Chapter 11: "Peabody"?

2. Who storms into the barn in Chapter 25: "Darl"?

3. With whom does Darl return from the fields in Chapter 1: "Darl"?

4. What environmental change does Anse blame for Addie's illness in Chapter 9: "Anse"?

5. Why does Darl insinuate that Dewey Dell wants Addie to die in Chapter 10: "Darl"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is indicated by Anse’s superstitions about moving in Chapter 9: “Anse”?

2. What is indicated by Cash’s detailed list in Chapter 18: “Cash”?

3. What conversation are Vernon Tull and Anse Bundren engaged in, in the beginning of Chapter 8: “Tull”?

4. Why does Anse Bundren complain about Jewel in Chapter 26: “Anse”? How does Darl respond when he sees Jewel?

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

6. What is foreshadowed about Dewey Dell’s condition in Chapter 14: “Dewey Dell”?

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

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

9. What are the individual agendas of the Bundren family members as they prepare to depart for their journey in Chapter 24: “Vardaman”?

10. Who is Lafe and what is his role in the novel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and discuss the character of Dewey Dell Bundren. How old is Dewey Dell? What qualities stand out the most in her character? How does Dewey Dell differ from the other members of her family?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the plot structure of As I Lay Dying. Where in the narrative are the exposition and rising action? Where does the climax occur? What is revealed in the falling action and denouement of the novel?

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