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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. Who molested Barbara when she was a girl?

2. In what style did Bonnie wear her hair?

3. What did Brenda's father pray for every night?

4. What was Bonnie's faith when she arrived in prison?

5. Who was the overworked mother of two teenage girls in Michelle's story?

Short Essay Questions

1. How difficult was it for Bonnie to stay true to her religious practices while in prison?

2. Who was Reese and how did he enter Mo'Shay's life?

3. What did Robin note about the less than spiritual activities going on during mass?

4. What did Diane's father make her do when he took her hunting for the first time?

5. To what did Barbara compare puzzle pieces in her life?

6. What was the one constant that Robin noted occurred on each of the three Christmases she spent in prison?

7. How did Robin Cullen begin her story, "Christmas in Prison" with a religious focus regarding the pope?

8. What effect did Barbara think that her incarceration had on her children?

9. How did Diane's father betray her trust with violence while on a trip to Chattanooga?

10. How did Barbara say that prison changed her--for both good and bad?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the book. Why would these women have had lonely lives in America in the mid 20th century? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

Essay Topic 2

The women's stories contain more than one iteration on the theme of disappointment. Identify at least two characters in the stories who either embody or experience disappointment then cite an example to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Hatred takes on an almost human persona in the women's stories. What was the source of much of the hatred? Why was the hatred pervasive? What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 986 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample