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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 comes to inform those at the Bundren home that the bridge has gone out in Chapter 20: "Tull"?

2. Whose raincoat is offered to Cash while he works on the coffin in Chapter 17: "Darl"?

3. Who is Cora married to?

4. What does Tull describe Addie wearing in her casket in Chapter 20: "Tull"?

5. How old was Pa when he got sick from working in the sun, according to Darl in Chapter 5: "Darl"?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What makes Darl Bundren unique as a narrator in As I Lay Dying?

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

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

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

7. What does Vardaman do after fleeing the house in Chapter 13: “Vardaman”?

8. How would you describe Jewel Bundren’s actions in carrying the coffin in Chapter 23: “Darl”?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Darl's arrest in the end of the novel. Why is he taken away? Where is he presumably taken? How does his family respond to Darl's actions and his being taken away?

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 themes of loss and grief in As I Lay Dying. How does the author explore these themes through symbolism and imagery? How are these themes illustrated through character and setting?

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