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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 Ballard, Catherine's driving becomes what after his release from the hospital?

2. When Ballard tells Catherine that she should have gone to the funeral for Helen's husband, how does she respond?

3. According to Ballard, why did Vaughan's former career come to an abrupt end?

4. Where is the film studio Ballard works for located?

5. What kind of car does Catherine drive?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the prostitute Ballard hires share in common with his wife and his lover and what do they show about Ballard's character?

2. Why does Ballard recognize Dr. Robert Vaughan when he sees him with the camera in the parking garage and why is it significant?

3. In the hospital, what does Ballard begin to do once he's mobile and how is it significant?

4. Where does Ballard take Renata after his release from the hospital and why?

5. What does Ballard believe Helen's motives are for making love with him at the site of the accident and what is their sex act a metaphor for?

6. Describe Ballard and Catherine's marriage and explain its relevance to the novel.

7. What are Ballard's injuries from his crash with the man and his wife and how does he respond to them?

8. Who is Karen and why is she significant?

9. What dominates Ballard's thoughts as he recovers in the hospital and why is it significant?

10. What is the point of view in "Crash"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Catherine in "Crash." As Ballard's wife, she plays a critical role in the novel. What motivates her as a character? Is she a flat or round character and why?

Essay Topic 2

Ballard details the urban landscape throughout the novel, from the car impound to the airport flyover, the abandoned lot to the parking garage. Choose 2 urban landscapes and discuss their purpose in the novel. What do they represent for the characters? How do the characters respond to these landscapes?

Essay Topic 3

In "Crash," both Helen's husband and Vaughan die early in the novel. Ballard's recollections of Vaughan and meeting him through his accident that killed Helen's husband can be seen as a sort of elegy as he grieves for both himself (in being accountable for another person's death) as well as for his friend. Choose 3 major scenes and discuss the way he expresses his grief.

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