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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. At the studio, who does Ballard see dressed up to resemble a famous screen actress, wearing a fawn suede coat, brassiere, and makeup?

2. According to Ballard, who wears her hair in a "simulated Afro wig"?

3. According to Ballard, Vaughan's fixation on the sex-death fantasy he created became more frustrated in his last days with him for what reason?

4. Who are the five film actresses Seagrave devised an "abattoir of sexual mutiliation" for Vaughan's questionnaire?

5. Who does Ballard see on his balcony when he is caught in a traffic jam?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Describe Catherine's fantasies about Vaughan, how they pertain to Ballard, and their impact on her and Ballard's marriage.

3. How do the prostitutes Vaughan picks up begin to change in appearance and why is it significant?

4. At Seagrave's, what does Ballard deduce about Vaughan's photographs of Elizabeth Taylor and provides insight into why Vaughan followed Ballard?

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

6. 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?

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

8. What kinds of pictures does Ballard find in the questionnaire and what do they signify?

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

10. Where do Catherine and Vaughan have sex and why is it significant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Automobiles play a major role in the novel. Choose 2 characters and discuss their relationship to vehicles. What is their purpose in the novel and what are they a metaphor for? Make sure to define metaphor in your discussion.

Essay Topic 2

Define and discuss the setting of "Crash," supporting your answers with examples from the text.

1) When and where is the novel set?

2) What is the relationship between the setting and the plot?

3) How do the characters respond to the setting of the novel?

Essay Topic 3

What is the role of fame in the novel?

1) How does Vaughan use his celebrity status in the novel?

2) Why is Vaughan and Seagrave obsessed with famous figures?

3) What is the connection between immortality and fame?

(see the answer keys)

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