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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 year is it in the story as Part2: Chapter 1 begins?

2. What do Larry and Sally experience in Vermont for the first time?

3. What does Charity say is all she needed to make her death the way she has envisioned it?

4. Larry recalls a particular morning in which month?

5. Charity says that there is no decent literature on what subject?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Charity maintain control even though her death is imminent?

2. What is the situation the characters find themselves in when the novel returns to the present day in 1972?

3. Explain the method that Sally has of categorizing her memories.

4. Explain the metaphor of Adam and Eve used throughout the novel.

5. Although Larry and Sally never had the advantages or financial ease that Sid and Charity did, they seem to have a better marriage. Explain how the author reveals this.

6. How has Sid and Charity's home changed from the time the Langs first saw it in 1938?

7. How is Charity able to assert some control over Larry's life while her own husband resists her attempts?

8. How is Charity managing her illness?

9. How has the necessity for rescue changed between the two couples?

10. What plans has Charity made for her family for after her death?

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

Describe the setting at the beginning of the novel. Does the author paint a complete picture for the reader? What, if anything, is missing?

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.

(see the answer keys)

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