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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. Where is Johanna in the first nightmare Mike has about her?

2. Who does Kyra call her "white nana"?

3. What type of flowers does Mike see in his dream and also in a photo taken by Bill Dean?

4. What favor does Mattie ask of Mike?

5. What does Mike do when he heads to the beach and is overcome with emotion?

Short Essay Questions

1. What makes Mike realize that he must return to Sara Laughs?

2. What does Mike hope to capture on the dictaphone and what sound is actually recorded?

3. How does Mike meet Mattie and Kyra Devore and why is the meeting emotionally difficult for him?

4. Who is Bill Dean and what role does he serve in Mike's life?

5. Does Mike's nightmare of arriving at Sara Laughs come true when Mike finally does arrive at the cottage?

6. Who is John Storrow and what is his role in Mike's life?

7. Why is the completion of his novel a month after Johanna's death the event that drives home the fact that she will not be coming back?

8. Why is Mike surprised by his budding friendship with Mattie?

9. What physical symptoms does Mike have during writer's block?

10. Who is the protagonist of the story and what tragedy befalls his wife very early in the story?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the greatest lesson Mike learns from Bill Dean? Is it true that important lessons are also painful ones? What will Mike always recall about his experiences with Bill?

Essay Topic 2

Explain King's use of regionalism in the book. Cite examples of at least two different instances of regionalism and explain why the author used them where he did.

Essay Topic 3

Describe Kyra. What is her role in the story? What was the author trying to accomplish by developing Kyra's character in the novel?

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This section contains 1,284 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample