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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 is the "Oh My God, Corner" in "Santaland Diaries"?

2. Who is Lonnie Tipit in "Season's Greetings..."?

3. Where is Mrs. Dunbar, supposedly, when Don is killed in "Season's Greetings..."?

4. Where did Malison grow up in "After Malison"?

5. What genre is "Season's Greetings to Our Friends and Family"?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the scene in Macy's on Christmas Eve in "Santaland Diaries".

2. Why is Jocelyn Dunbar suspected of murdering Don and framing Khe Sahn in "Season's Greetings..."?

3. What disgusts the narrator of "After Malison" the most during his master's writing seminar?

4. How does Jocelyn feel about her daughter's marriage to Timothy Speaks in "Season's Greetings..."? How does this compare to her feelings about her grandson, Don?

5. How does the narrator of "Barrel Fever" feel about the word "nice"? Why does he feel this way?

6. Who is Jamboree in "Jamboree"? How does the narrator feel about him?

7. Which elf duty is the narrator's least favorite in "Santaland Diaries"? Why does he feel this way?

8. What story does the narrator of "Giantess" think he and Lili should tell the man whose plate they broke?

9. How does the narrator deal with parents requesting to visit a Santa of a certain race in "Santaland Diaries"?

10. What do IV and PCD stand for in "Barrel Fever"? What is the significance of these acronyms for the narrator?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Violence figures heavily into some of the stories in the collection. Choose two of the stories that include strong examples of violence and:

1) explain how violence is portrayed in the story,

2) describe the impact violence has in the story, and

3) explain what you think the author is trying to say about violence through this story.

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

Essay Topic 2

In "Barrel Fever", David Sedaris offers a variety of wacky minor characters for the reader to enjoy. Select two of the following characters and compare and contrast them in an essay:

1) Taylor in "Firestone"

2) Aunt Margery in "We Get Along"

3) Marty in "Jamboree"

4) Gill in "Barrel Fever"

Essay Topic 3

In many of the stories in "Barrel Fever", Sedaris satirizes popular culture. Select 2 of the stories in which the author uses satire and:

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

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

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

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

(see the answer keys)

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