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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 leads to dying, according to Emma?

2. What animal does Wesley say he hears in Act One?

3. How much property does Weston own?

4. Who is Emma?

5. What does Ella say you should never do if you are bleeding?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Wesley tell Ella as she is cooking in Act One?

2. What is Emma's argument for swimming in Act One?

3. What is Wesley doing as Act One opens?

4. To whom does Weston plan to sell the house?

5. Why does Ella call the cops in Act One?

6. Where is Ella when she comes back to the house in Act Three?

7. Why do Ella and Emma argue about belonging to the "starving class" in Act One?

8. What does Ella warn herself and Emma about in Act One concerning menstruation?

9. Why does Wesley tell Weston he has to run?

10. Why does Ella say Emma cannot leave the house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Sam Shepard's play, "Curse of the Starving Class" emphasizes the family dynamics of the main characters. Describe the family dynamics between Weston, Ella, Emma and Wesley. How does each relate to the others? What problems does the family experience? What joys and accomplishments do the family acknowledge and celebrate? How does an outside person describe the family? Use specific examples from the text in the response.

Essay Topic 2

Of all the character transformations in the play, Weston, the patriarch of the story, goes one of the more significant transformations. Describe Weston at the beginning and the end of the play. How does he change? Are Weston's changes for better or worse? How do Weston's changes impact the rest of the characters? Use specific examples from the play in the response.

Essay Topic 3

Sam Shepard published "Curse of the Starving Class" in the late 1970s. Explore how the play sustains its relevance in today's society. What universal problems does the Tate family encounter that today's families also cope with? What other instances retain their relevance in today's society? Use specific examples from the text in the response.

(see the answer keys)

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