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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 virtue is very important to Frank?

2. What month is it at the beginning of the novel?

3. What type of car does Louis Karp drive?

4. What does Helen do before going to bed?

5. What favor does Frank do for Morris?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Helen react to Nat's telephone call?

2. How is business at the store around Christmas? What explanation does Ida give for this?

3. How does Helen feel about Frank now?

4. How does Frank feel about Helen?

5. How does Frank reward himself for working hard? Is this suspicious?

6. Who is the man hanging around the neighborhood?

7. What traumatic event caused a change in Morris' habits?

8. Why does Ida resent Morris and their current situation? What responsibility does she have for the state of their lives?

9. How is business at the store improving? Why?

10. How does Frank feel about life at the store?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay describing how you feel Frank and Helen's lives turn out following the end of the novel. Be sure to address:

1) How you feel the character traits of Frank and Helen will determine their futures.

2) Whether or not you think Frank and Helen will marry, and why.

3) Whether you feel the author intends the reader to have a positive or negative impression of Frank and Helen's lives following the end of the story, and why.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay on the character strengths and weaknesses of Morris Bober. Be sure to address:

1) How Morris character traits influence his past and present life.

2) How Morris views and responds to the world and opportunities around him.

3) Whether or not you feel Morris is a tragically flawed character, and why (with evidence from the text).

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay describing the romantic relationship between Frank Alpine and Helen Bober. Be sure to address:

1) What you think attracts Frank and Helen to each other, with evidence from the text.

2) Major obstacles to Frank and Helen's happiness together, and how these obstacles are overcome.

3) Whether or not you think Frank and Helen are good for each other, and why.

(see the answer keys)

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