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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 does Vaughan tell Ballard that Seagrave may follow after disappearing in a wig and leopard-skin coat?

2. Whose death does Ballard begin to think about in a "more calculated way" than the one Vaughan designed for a famous film actress?

3. According to Ballard, who "resembled rows of the dead looking down at us from the galleries of a columbarium"?

4. Ballard states that Vaughan was only interesting to Ballard in relation to what?

5. How many passengers get trapped in the limousine after the crash at the junction of the eastern descent ramp of the flyover?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Vaughan begin to change as the novel progresses?

2. What type of questions from Vaughan's questionnaire is Ballard specifically drawn to?

3. What is Elizabeth Taylor shooting at the studio where Ballard works and how is it significant?

4. What does Ballard think of when he introduces Catherine to Vaughan and why is it relevant?

5. How does Ballard respond to Vaughan's request to give one of the questionnaires to Elizabeth Taylor and what does it show about his character?

6. What is Ballard's response to Catherine sleeping with Vaughan?

7. Why does J.G. Ballard portray Vaughan's self-stimulation in the vehicle where a dentist recently died?

8. When Ballard and Vaughan arrive at the accident site involving a minor accident, what do they discover?

9. What kinds of photos are in the album Vaughan shows Ballard at Seagrave's house and what does Ballard notice about them?

10. Why is Ballard attracted to Gabrielle?

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

The influence of J.G. Ballard as an avant-garde writer is well-documented. Discuss his influence within and outside of the literary community. Use secondary sources to help support your essay response.

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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