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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. How much money does Stanley give to his father that he earned setting pins at the bowling alley the night before at the end of Act II?

2. At about what time does Act II open?

3. What does Jack do for nine hours a day for his primary job?

4. How long has the doctor told Jack Jerome to stay home and rest in the beginning of Act II?

5. Stanley has been fired from his job for doing what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What has Neil Simon noted in terms of his relationship to Brighton Beach Memoirs and its autobiographical elements?

2. How does the conflict escalate between Kate and Blanche in Act II?

3. How does the conflict between Kate and Blanche become resolved in Act II?

4. What other plays are connected in the trilogy that includes Brighton Beach Memoirs?

5. What news does Stanley relate to Eugene in their room in the beginning of Act II?

6. How is Blanche’s appearance described when she enters in Act II? What causes tension in this scene regarding Stanley’s income?

7. What causes the internal conflicts faced by Blanche Morton in the play?

8. Who has sent the letter with Laurie in Act II? What news does the letter relate?

9. How does Kate respond when Stanley confesses the truth about his salary in Act II?

10. What do Blanche and Nora discuss when Nora arrives home in Act II?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sexuality in Brighton Beach Memoirs

a. Discuss the differences and similarities between male and female sexuality in the play. How do Eugene and Stanley view the women and girls of their household?

b. How are the characters of Kate and Blanche similar? How are they different? How does the playwright illustrate gender expectations and roles in the narrative?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Stanley’s decision to write a letter of apology to get his job back at the end of Act I. What does this action mean in terms of Stanley’s ethics? Would you make the same decision? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze and discuss the character of Kate Jerome in the play. How old is Kate? How long has she been married to Jack? What characteristics stand out the most through Kate’s interactions with the family?

(see the answer keys)

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