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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. Meg explains their mother's suicide by telling Babe:

2. Lenny begins the play by:

3. Babe will not talk to Barnette Lloyd because:

4. Rather than admit she is gaining weight, Chick claims the pantyhose do not fit because:

5. Doc has apparently:

Short Essay Questions

1. How will Old Granddaddy's death affect the girls' lives?

2. Lenny, Meg, and Babe continually revisit stories from their past. What does this suggest about them?

3. What do Meg and Babe's comments about Charlie reveal about the sisters.

4. Describe Meg's life in Hollywood.

5. What does Babe's speech about her saxophone reveal about her character?

6. Why does Babe seem surprise to hear the real story of Doc's injury and the town's opinion of Meg?

7. How does Babe explain her mother's fear of dying alone?

8. The candy Chick brings, which is outdated and unwanted, might represent what?

9. What is ironic about Meg's response to the news about Old Granddaddy?

10. Describe Lenny's phone call with Charlie.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

If Henley's characters serve as archetypes for Southern people, is her assessment fair? Write an essay in which you defend or criticize her use of archetypes in the play.

Essay Topic 2

Consider the physical or emotional defects of any character in the play. How do these defects shape the characters or propel the events of the play?

Essay Topic 3

Henley's characters are motivated by any number of factors--fear, pity, duty, love. Choose any character or characters whose motivations seem to drive the play and write an essay in which you argue the significance of these motivations.

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