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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. Why does Mack turn down the captain's first offer of a drink?

2. Who carries the gunnysacks?

3. Where do the couples go?

4. How do people treat Doc after he tells his fib?

5. How is Cannery Row described in Chapter 14?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Steinbeck show that Cannery Row is an undesirable part of town?

2. Why can Doc not get anyone to accompany him on specimen collecting trip to La Jolla?

3. What does Steinbeck mean by "the hour of the pearl" in Chapter 14?

4. How do Mack and the boys react to ruining Doc's party?

5. For what event does Steinbeck use foreshadowing in this chapter?

6. What bet does Doc make with Frost on the Fourth of July?

7. What impact have Mack and the boys had on the captain?

8. How does Doc respond to Mack's request to know Doc's birth date?

9. What is the irony of the tax troubles Dora experiences?

10. What is the significance of the flagpole sitter at Holman's Department Store?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Steinbeck uses beautifully descriptive language in the book to help his readers see his world from his perspective. Without referring to the book, describe Cannery Row. Now, describe Monterey, using only your recall of Steinbeck's descriptions. How do you visualize the California coast now that you have read Steinbeck's descriptions?

Essay Topic 2

Steinbeck mentions "the hour of the pearl" several times in the novel. How else could he have described this fleeting time in the mornings? What name would you give to the California sunsets? What is the significance of "the hour of the pearl" in relation to Doc?

Essay Topic 3

Steinbeck populates Cannery Row with several eccentric characters. Who are the eccentrics in the novel? What makes them eccentric? Do you have a favorite eccentric in the book? Why? What makes him/her so appealing to you?

(see the answer keys)

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