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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. Which of these appear in the first narrator's dream?

2. What does the male narrator say are the only newborn babies he has ever seen?

3. Who says, "Maybe the world is flat and we are going to find out, like the navigators of old?"

4. What does the male narrator remember about Miami?

5. Who is the male narrator referring to when he says, "They're almost not human?"

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens at the airport? How does this tie to what the female narrator says about hope?

2. What happens after the female narrator thanks her father? What is significant about this?

3. Think about the male narrator's references to skin color. How does this reflect the social prejudices prevalent in the story?

4. What separates the male narrator from the other passengers? How does he think differently? What does he do that the other passengers do not?

5. What does the male narrator say about religion? What are his beliefs, if any?

6. What does the male narrator ask of his girlfriend? What does this tell us about him?

7. Why is the first narrator happy there are no children on board?

8. What does the male narrator remember about Miami?

9. Describe the internal conflict of humanity vs. survival on the boat. What do the passengers choose to overlook? As their situation becomes more dire, what conflicts arise between them?

10. What results is the female narrator waiting to hear on the radio? Why is this important?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Think about the narrator's words to one another. What do their descriptions of love or messages/ pledges to one another tell us about their mindsets? Be sure to use examples.

Essay Topic 2

Consider the relationship between the second narrator and her father. What helps the narrator come to terms with her father's decision? Who influences the narrator's change of heart? Does this mean she is able to forsake her love for the first narrator?

Essay Topic 3

"From here, I cannot even see the sea. Behind these mountains are more mountains and more black butterflies still and a sea that is endless like my love for you." Think about this quote from the end of the story. What is it's significance? What are its contrasting elements? What does this say about the narrator?

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