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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 color was Abbey Hanley's hair?

2. What did Penelope describe her father's face turning into when she boarded the train on her departure from the Eastern Bloc?

3. What river runs past the town of Silver?

4. What animals did Matthew dig up before finding the typewriter in "Before the Beginning"?

5. What was the second thing Penelope bought after arriving in Australia?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who does "the Murderer" refer to and why does he come to the Dunbar home?

2. How does irony apply to Penelope's piano in Part 4?

3. What is the symbolic significance of the "ol' TW" in the novel (149)?

4. Who are the Dunbar sons and what are their basic qualities?

5. How did Michael propose to Penelope? How did she respond?

6. How did Michael Dunbar first meet Abbey Hanley?

7. What do garages signify in the novel?

8. How is Clay greeted upon returning to the Dunbar home in Part 4?

9. Discuss the structure of the novel. How is the story related?

10. How do Clay's brothers help him train?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the narrative style of Bridge of Clay. From whose perspective is the story related? Why do you think the author has chosen this particular narrative voice? Is the narrator reliable or unreliable? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Identify and discuss three examples of irony in Bridge of Clay. What is an example of verbal irony related through character dialogue? How does situational irony apply in the story? What is an example of dramatic irony and to what purpose is it used?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the character of Penelope Dunbar. Where was Penelope born and raised? What was her childhood like? How did Penelope get to Australia? When and where did she meet Michael?

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