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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. How does Emma describe Taylor?

2. According to Taylor, where do people in India live?

3. Who is Emma?

4. Who does Wesley say spoils Emma?

5. What animal does Wesley bring into the kitchen?

Short Essay Questions

1. What alternate way does Ella suggest her husband can enter the house?

2. Why does Weston not let Emma do his laundry?

3. How does Ella plan to get the money to go to Europe?

4. What does Weston do to try and reconnect with his home and land in Act Three?

5. Why does Weston ask Wesley what he thinks of the house in Act Two?

6. What news does Ella have about the house when she returns from meeting with Taylor in Act Two?

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

8. Why does Weston not care about getting his money for selling the house?

9. How does Emma fit into her picture of Taylor and Ella in Mexico?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Emma takes her own journey in the "Curse of the Starving Class". Track Emma's journey in the play. What milestones does she reach during the play? How do Emma's thoughts and actions change as the play progresses? How do Emma's experience change her viewpoint on life? How does her opinion of her family change? Use specific examples from the play in the response.

Essay Topic 2

Knowing that "Curse of the Starving Class" is one of Sam Shepard's family tragedy plays, explore the statement the playwright is making about family in the play. What does Shepard want the audience and reader to understand and learn about family? How does Shepard use the Tate family's dynamics to make a larger statement on family relationships and dynamics in general? Use specific examples from the text in the response.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 882 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample