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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 does Matt offer Dennis' daughter?

2. What is the name of the young woman who comes to the shoe store?

3. What is Sheila's new husband's profession?

4. What was the cause of death of the person whose funeral has just been held?

5. Which of the following is not a reason that Dennis lies to Billy?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Billy's relatives recall about him at the bar?

2. How does Maeve begin to work herself into Billy's life?

3. Why does Dennis want to protect Billy's dream of Eva from his mother, Sheila?

4. What was the fate of the Irish girl?

5. Explain the irony of Billy's stopping to see Dennis when he returns from Ireland.

6. Why does Dennis decide to tell Billy that Eva had died?

7. What is the irony of Billy's picking out shoes for Eva and her sister on the same day that Maeve comes into the store to buy shoes?

8. What had Sheila's life been like after her parents died?

9. Explain the foreshadowing of Dennis' daughter meeting Matt in Chapter 3.

10. How does the relationship between the Irish girls and Dennis and Billy evolve?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Just prior to meeting Eva, Billy and Dennis return home from World War II. Explain the significance of this war on America in general and Billy and Dennis specifically. What impact did the war have on the choices that Billy and Dennis made? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Create a character study of Dennis Lynch. What are his physical characteristics? What are his motivations? What are his fears? What are his dreams? What else can you say about Dennis?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the role of religion in the characters' lives. What is the primary religion of the main characters? How do the characters practice their faith? Does it shake them when their faith waxes and wanes in their lives? Cite examples.

(see the answer keys)

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