View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What city is Joseph from?

2. What does Eugene start doing when he can't sleep?

3. How many young men are on stage at the beginning of Act 1?

4. What does the prostitute do when Eugene gets into bed?

5. What duty is James Hennesey on?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Rowena's personality.

2. What two ways does Toomey say he might treat the boys?

3. What does Eugene's attitude seem to be after the other soldiers have read his writings?

4. What kind of person is Eugene hoping to meet?

5. What does Roy think of himself?

6. What does Toomey threaten to do to the men unless the thief gives himself up?

7. What does Toomey do to punish Eugene during the march?

8. Why does Carney decide not to visit the prostitute?

9. Where has Eugene traveled in the past?

10. What punishment does Toomey promise if Epstein doesn't complete his duty to Toomey's standards?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of Eugene's primary goals is to become a writer. Discuss this goal.

1) What qualities does a writer have? Does Eugene possess these qualities? How does Eugene's writing change over the course of the play?

2) Why does Eugene want to be a writer? Why is this an important goal?

3) What does it mean to be a writer? What does being a writer demand from Eugene?

Essay Topic 2

An "other" is someone who is different and becomes outcast. Discuss being different and the concept of the "other" in the play.

1) In what ways are each of the characters different and therefore outcast from the others? Which are outcasts in the culture of the army?

2) How do the characters react to the things that make other characters different? Do any of the characters relate their own status as "others" with ways in which others are also outcasts?

3) How does the idea of an outcast "other" relate to war? Who becomes the "other" during wartime, and how do the soldiers think and talk about this during the play?

Essay Topic 3

The soldiers all have different dreams and goals. Discuss the role of dreams and goals in the play.

1) Eugene achieves three goals during the play. Discuss these goals and their importance, and what they say about his character.

2) Carney's dream is to become a singer. What does this dream say about him? Why doesn't Carney achieve his goal?

3) Do Wykowski and Selridge have goals and dreams for themselves? What does their lack of concrete dreams say about them as characters? How does it change their lives?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 650 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample