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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 is Russ’s maternal grandfather?

2. When Marion goes to the Haefle house, where does she find Judson in the house?

3. What occupation is Russ’s father?

4. What action does Russ consider is Russ’s Christmas present to himself?

5. Marion stops doing what for Russ around the house?

Short Essay Questions

1. What embarrassing event happened to Russ at the Navajo dancing ceremony?

2. Why does Charlie Durochie call Russ a nickname while he worked on the Navajo lands, and what was the story behind it?

3. Why does Russ go to the other side of town to the Black Church each week to do humanitarian charity work?

4. What does Marion say to Russ when he finds her in their kitchen smoking a cigarette?

5. How did Russ use Larry to find out about how serious Frances was with her boyfriend?

6. What does Russ feel when Marion rejects him in bed for the first time?

7. What happened to the Blues records that Frances borrowed from Russ?

8. Why does Marion want to confess her unrequited love of Bradley to her son Perry?

9. Who does Becky run to after she is called out by Sally for lusting after Tanner?

10. What does Marion plan to achieve by going to Kitty’s house on Maple Street to confront her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Specify some ways the character of Judson could have been more developed in the novel. Not much is said about the youngest child Judson; why do you think the author made him such a minor character in the book? Why did he have him as a sibling at all as part of the Hildebrandt family?

Essay Topic 2

Compose an essay that explains the details of Russ’s humiliation, focusing on what happened, what characters were involved in the event, and what was the aftermath of the humiliation on Russ’s work as a pastor, his family and his life in general.

Essay Topic 3

Identify the reasons that Marion felt that she had been an angel and a devil at different times in her life. Be specific in detailing the events that made her feel good and bad about her actions in relation to other people in her past.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,042 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample