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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is Styron not able to recover?
(a) His fame.
(b) His family.
(c) His friendships.
(d) His lucidity.

2. What did Styron do for Hoffman regarding a political demonstration led by Hoffman?
(a) Introduced him to Lady del Duco in hopes of winning the award in the future.
(b) Referred him to a psychiatrist in New York.
(c) Testified for him at a trial in Chicago.
(d) He never really met Hoffman, so didn't do anything for him.

3. What city is Styron in at the beginning of the memoir?
(a) New York.
(b) Rome.
(c) Atlanta.
(d) Paris.

4. What starts Styron's downward spiral into depression?
(a) The loss of several friends to suicide.
(b) He begins to suffer nausea when drinking alcohol, which he had depended upon.
(c) Trouble with his wife.
(d) Being isolated in Connecticut in the winter.

5. What does Levi's suicide cause Styron to do?
(a) Condemn Levi for his cowardice.
(b) Plan his own suicide.
(c) Write an op-ed piece to the NY Times on depression, discounting the shame most felt about it.
(d) Denounce Levi as his friend.

6. Who is the doctor from Johns Hopkins who gave the name depression to the disease?
(a) Dr. Adolf Meier.
(b) Dr. Adkins.
(c) Dr. Gold.
(d) An unnamed psychiatrist.

7. What does Styron think of these two people, who were close literary friends?
(a) He thinks they should have won the award.
(b) He thinks they both had depression.
(c) He thinks they should move to America where they would be more recognized.
(d) He doesn't think their writing was very good.

8. In what way does Styron's depression come upon him?
(a) It hit him suddenly one night.
(b) Slowly in increments.
(c) A slight sadness intensified rapidly over time.
(d) He really didn't know how it happened.

9. What did Styron's friend, Abbie Hoffman, do professionally?
(a) He was a political activist.
(b) He was a fellow writer and philosopher.
(c) He was a family member so depressed that he had no profession.
(d) He was Styron's psychiatrist.

10. Right before the onset of his depression, Styron begins to suffer from what?
(a) Hypochondria.
(b) Excessive sleepiness.
(c) Lack of sexual interest.
(d) Extreme joy.

11. What reaction to the op-ed piece causes Styron to decide to write this memoir?
(a) People indicated they just didn't understand depression.
(b) The number of people reacting positively causes him to think sharing his experiences would be beneficial.
(c) His editor asked him to write the memoir.
(d) He learned his piece had saved someone's life, so wanted to reach out with more information.

12. During one sleepless episode, what does Styron realize about his illness?
(a) That he is recovering.
(b) It will take his life if allowed to continue.
(c) That he needs to get a handle on it.
(d) That he is a very weak person to let it rule his life.

13. What reaction does Styron have to a flock of Canadian geese?
(a) He is frozen in anxiety at the sight of them.
(b) He tries to shoot them.
(c) He thinks they are graceful.
(d) They temporarily restore his good feelings.

14. Though the death of the poet, Randall Jarrell, was ruled accidental, why does Styron say it was probably suicide?
(a) Because of Jarrell's depression and the fact there was no reason for him to be on the road on which he was struck by a car.
(b) He wanted to discredit Jarrell because of a disagreement they had.
(c) He wanted to gain support for his theory that depression led to suicide.
(d) He didn't want Jarrell's widow to receive the large insurance settlement.

15. Why would Jarrell's widow not want to admit he committed suicide?
(a) Because she couldn't collect his life insurance.
(b) She was cheating on him.
(c) Because of the stigma of suicide.
(d) She didn't believe he committed suicide.

Short Answer Questions

1. What two people does Styron think of while leaving Paris?

2. According to Styron, what is between Gaelic and Americana?

3. What is the award Styron receives?

4. What does Styron think after his flashback?

5. What three factors does Styron name as contributing to depression?

(see the answer keys)

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