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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. According to Davies, who lives next door?

2. Where does Davies claim to have left his belongings?

3. How old is Aston?

4. When Aston asks Davies who was making noises at night, who does he claim made them?

5. How many beds are in the room in which Act I takes place?

Short Essay Questions

1. What motivates Davies?

2. Which character best represents the voice of reason in the play?

3. Why does Davies have several insurance cards?

4. In what way is Mick "the caretaker" mentioned in the play's title?

5. How does Mick react when he sees his brother being taken advantage of?

6. Why does Mick want to put a stop to Aston's assisting Davies?

7. Why might Aston be receiving so much help from Mick?

8. How does Davies respond when Aston tells him he should find a new place to live?

9. How does Davies feel about being fired from the restaurant?

10. What causes the conflict in Act I?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the purpose of the play's ambiguous ending? What predictions is the reader supposed to make based on the ending of the play?

Essay Topic 2

Aston reveals to Davies that he has a mental illness and has been treated for it in a harsh way. What role does Aston's mental illness play in the story? Is it a subplot or part of the main conflict? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Why does Harold Pinter choose to make The Caretaker a play as opposed to a novel or short story? What elements of the story make it ideal for a play?

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