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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 does the narrator of "The Last You'll Hear From Me" ask to read her final instructions?

2. What does the narrator of "Parade" say people are constantly asking him for?

3. What is Don's profession in "Don's Story"?

4. Why does the narrator of "Music for Lovers" want to remove his uvula?

5. Who is the narrator in "The Last You'll Hear From Me"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the narrator of "Parade" describe Patrick Buchanan?

2. Describe a typical first date for the "old" version of the narrator of "Parade".

3. How does Chad conduct research for his book in "My Manuscript"?

4. How is Don's success in "Don's Story" ironic?

5. Contrast the story Taylor tells about his child with the actual facts about his child in "Firestone".

6. What is Chad's relationship with Terry Glassman in "My Manuscript"?

7. What perplexes Carlton about the narrator's unwillingness to correct his vision loss in "Firestone"?

8. What specific directions does the narrator of "The Last You'll Hear From Me" give Eileen for the dress she is to wear to the funeral?

9. What does Glen dream about in "Glen's Homophobia Newsletter"? What does he tell Drew he dreamed about? Why?

10. Describe the narrator of "Parade"'s relationship with Bruce Springsteen (from his perspective).

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In many of the stories in "Barrel Fever", Sedaris uses hyperbole (exaggeration) to make points. Select 3 of the stories in which the author uses hyperbole and:

1) describe the ways in which hyperbole is used in the stories,

2) compare and contrast the use of hyperbole in each story, and

3) discuss the impact of hyperbole on the reader's experience of the stories.

Be sure to use evidence from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Imagine if one of the stories in this collection was missing from it. Choose one of the stories and "remove" it from the collection. Write an essay:

1) explaining the role that the story plays in the collection,

2) describing how the novel would be different without the story, and

3) comment on the quality of the book without the story: Would it be better or worse? Why?

Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

The titles of many of the stories in "Barrel Fever" have an ironic twist to them. Select three of the following stories and discuss how the title of each story reflects an irony presented in the story.

1) "Parade"

2) "Music for Lovers"

3) "We Get Along"

4) "Firestone"

5) "After Malison"

6) "Barrel Fever"

Be sure to use evidence from the stories to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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