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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What philosophical question does Gary present as central to all philosophy; a question that confuses Styron until years later when he suffers his depression?
(a) Why does life have hardships?
(b) Are all suicides due to weak character?
(c) Does man depend on other men?
(d) Is life worth living?

2. What happens to Gary's ex-wife?
(a) She was killed by someone, probably Gary himself.
(b) She took an overdose of pills and her body was found in a car after several days.
(c) She disappeared and was never found again.
(d) She shot herself.

3. According to Styron, what often leads depressed people to commit suicide?
(a) Because they don't love their families like other people do.
(b) Because of moral weakness and lack of character.
(c) Because depression is so deep they can't see any other way out.
(d) Because they don't have a very strong will to live.

4. What symptoms did Jarrell suffer from that caused Styron to believe in Jarrell's suicide?
(a) Black despondency, violent fluctuation of mood, and his deep depression.
(b) He wanted his wife to have money and his insurance would give it to her.
(c) He often mentioned life wasn't worth living.
(d) He had a terminal illness and was in pain.

5. Though Styron feels alone, who is always with him?
(a) His psychiatrist.
(b) His children.
(c) His friend, Gary.
(d) His wife, Rose.

6. Why is Styron not worried about the loss?
(a) He knows his friend will be his friend again.
(b) He is so depressed and lethargic that nothing matters to him.
(c) He knows he will be okay later.
(d) He feels he is justified in getting angry.

7. Styron agrees with what literary guide's belief?
(a) Depression never causes suicide.
(b) All men suffer from deep depression.
(c) Man's alienation from other men.
(d) Depression always leads to suicide.

8. What is unusual about Styron's visit to Paris?
(a) He doesn't visit anything but the museum.
(b) He refuses to go to a luncheon in his honor.
(c) The bathrooms have bidets in them.
(d) He doesn't eat anything while he was there.

9. When is depression at its worst?
(a) A blue state.
(b) Painful sorrow.
(c) Fake feelings of sadness.
(d) Madness.

10. What does Levi's suicide cause Styron to do?
(a) Plan his own suicide.
(b) Condemn Levi for his cowardice.
(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.

11. Sir Walter Scott and the Brontes linked what two illnesses interchangeably?
(a) Influenza and depression.
(b) Cancer and depression.
(c) Melancholia and hypochondria.
(d) Lukemia and depression.

12. What does Styron say he will do with the prize money he won?
(a) Pay off all old debts so he could concentrate on writing.
(b) Retire early and write.
(c) Give most to charity but save a small portion for a personal matter.
(d) Give it all to charity.

13. What bothers Styron so much about not being able to meet Camus?
(a) It meant Camus couldn't hear about winning the award.
(b) It meant there was another suicide in his circle of friends.
(c) It meant he had to go to his luncheon with Lady del Duco.
(d) Because it meant he barely missed getting to meet the man whose writing he so admired.

14. What puzzles Styron about Camus's book, "The Fall"?
(a) It was written so brilliantly though Camus was depressed.
(b) It was a good narrative of what a depressed person experiences.
(c) That the lawyer/narrator would want to kill himself.
(d) The title didn't fit the story.

15. What does Styron believe about a depressed colleague's decision to ride with a reckless driver?
(a) That it was a form of suicide.
(b) That his friend didn't have any choice about who to ride with.
(c) That he probably didn't know the driver was so reckless.
(d) That his friend didn't want to embarrass his friend by refusing a ride.

Short Answer Questions

1. According to Styron, why is the word depression so hard for people to accept?

2. What clues does Gary reveal that Styron later learns was probably signs of deep depression?

3. What characteristic of depression make Styron's memoir limited in benefit?

4. What Camus novel has a profound impact on Styron?

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

(see the answer keys)

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