View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Gerry's customer take from him the day before yesterday?

2. Who is Lugh?

3. What does Kate bring Chris from town because she is "far too pale?"

4. Why does Kate ask God to forgive her?

5. What is Kate determined to do this winter?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Chris wear during the sisters' dancing that upsets Kate?

2. What does Maggie notice about the pack of cigarettes Kate brought her, and why is it significant?

3. When Irish music comes from the radio, which of the sisters begins to dance first, and in what mood does she dance?

4. How far do the Mundys live from the rest of the village, and what significance is there in that distance?

5. After Agnes blows Michael a kiss, she says it was the wrong thing to do. Why would it be the wrong thing to do?

6. What does Maggie recollect about Bernie?

7. Why do you think the opening tableau shows Uncle Jack in his "resplendent" uniform, which is out of place in the play's action?

8. Why do you think young Michael felt unease rather than amusement or joy when his mother and aunts danced?

9. What reasons does Kate use for refusing to go to the harvest dance?

10. How does Kate explain Uncle Jack's strange behavior?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Uncle Jack's uniform is an important symbol in this story. Analyze the appearance of his uniform in the mind's eye of young Michael and the rest of his family, and the appearance of his uniform at the end. What does the change represent? How has the family's view of Uncle Jack changed after he has been home for a few weeks?

Essay Topic 2

The fox is an important metaphor in this play. If the family of women is the hen house, who is the fox? How many of the women have had unsuccessful relationships with men? List and explain each and develop your own thesis for why each situation ended unhappily.

Essay Topic 3

Analyze what it means to you that young Michael's kites have faces that are cruel and grinning, and that they are not able to fly. Why do you think the playwright put this element into his play? What do these kites tell you about young Michael's feelings toward the women in his family? Toward life in general?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 948 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample