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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. Whom does Catherine confide in before she leaves to elope?

2. What does Claude notice about his mother since Al Johnson is spending more time with her?

3. Why does Claude rush from the basement of Mr. Weisfeld's music store to Mr. Weisfeld's apartment upstairs in the middle of the night?

4. Why does Claude want to attend a regular university instead of a musical conservatory?

5. What happens when Emma receives occasional phone calls during the night?

Short Essay Questions

1. Compare the effect Claude's piano playing has on him with the effect Emma's letter-writing on the typewriter has on her.

2. How do young Claude and adults seem to relate to each other?

3. What generalization can be made about the Fisk family's approach to fads or trends?

4. Although Catherine's life is radically different from her life as a child, how does she view her life as it is now?

5. What gifts and benefits in Claude's life does Mr. Fredericks urge Claude to appreciate?

6. How has Mrs. Powers changed regarding her feelings toward Claude?

7. What is the reader led to believe about Claude because Emma does not reveal any concrete information about Claude's father?

8. What do movies and music provide for Claude?

9. Summarize the pivotal events which occur in Claude's life from the time Mr. Fredericks asks Claude to play at a music festival with him to the time he meets Mr. Larkin, who is on a college scholarship committee.

10. Compare Claude's experience on Christmas at the Powers' with his experience the same day at the Fisk's.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What clues or hints does the author provide that help prepare you for the ending of the story? Do you think these clues are important as you read the story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

How are the author's writing style and point of view connected in Body and Soul? Give examples from the story to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Frank Conroy choose Body and Soul for the title of the novel? 1) Give examples from the book that explain the title. 2) Do you think the title fits the book? Why or why not? 3) If you could give the book a different title, what would it be? Give reasons for your answer.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,067 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample