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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 is with a prostitute at the beginning of the scene?

2. What did the men hang Epstein up by?

3. Does the prostitute want Eugene to come out?

4. Who does Toomey confine to the barracks for the weekend?

5. What does Eugene tell the prostitute about his past sex life?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What does Toomey tell the soldiers about their future service in the war?

3. What does Eugene say when Wykowski asks if he means what he wrote?

4. What does Toomey want from the soldiers?

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

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

7. What happens when Toomey asks the guilty person to come forward?

8. What is the soldiers' new sergeant like?

9. What does Eugene tell Wykowski about his motives?

10. At the end of Act 2, Scene 7, how does Eugene say his relationship with Daisy has developed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Wykowski and the other soldiers read about themselves in Eugene's journal, they are upset about what they've read. However, Epstein still encourages Eugene to be honest and not compromising in his writing. Discuss the role of honesty and truth in the play.

1) Why are the soldiers upset by Eugene's honest opinions? Is it wrong for Eugene to write his honest opinions?

2) Toomey steals money from Wykowski in order to foment distrust and anger among the men. What does this instance say about honesty and dishonesty? Why does Epstein falsely confess instead of telling the truth?

3) What other instances are there of honesty and dishonesty in the play, and how are they important?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss humor in the play.

1) How do the characters use humor in their interactions? How do they use humor as insults? How does humor form part of their friendship?

2) In what ways does the author use humor in the play? How does the author combine serious issues such as prejudice and war with humor?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the play as a coming-of-age story.

1) How does Eugene mature during the course of the play? What knowledge, experience, and understanding about the world does he gain?

2) In what ways is boot camp a rite of passage that serves as a transition from childhood to adulthood?

3) How is Eugene's visit to the prostitute a rite of passage? What other rites of passage are there in the play?

(see the answer keys)

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