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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. What is the state of Sally's health?

2. What is the state of Sally's health?

3. What is the state of Charity's health?

4. Where does Sally to with the Langs?

5. What is Larry's profession?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are Sid and Charity described?

2. What are the plans for Larry's day?

3. What happens that gives Larry a bad premonition?

4. Explain the bond that Sally feels almost instantly with Charity.

5. How do the Morgans and Langs celebrate one of Larry's early literary successes?

6. Explain the different attitudes of Sid's and Larry's fathers regarding their sons' professions?

7. How does Sid feel about his teaching job?

8. What housing do Larry and Sally find when they reach Wisconsin?

9. Even though he was relishing some time alone, how does Larry actually deal with so much time by himself?

10. What is Charity's model of an ideal marriage and how will it affect her own marriage to Sid?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Even though he had wanted some alone time to write, Larry finds himself miserable when Sally spends the summer in Vermont. Is this a classic case of "Be careful what you wish for?" Explain.

Essay Topic 2

What conflicts become apparent in the marriage of Sid and Charity? What resentments build as a result? How do they punish each other as the marriage ages?

Essay Topic 3

Larry spends some alone time at the beginning of the novel to contemplate his life. What does he think about? What conclusions does he arrive at? Explain why he is in a contemplative mood at this point in time.

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