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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What is Styron's first dream in many months?
(a) His wife leaving him.
(b) A demon, a fire, and his own death.
(c) A flute, a wild goose, and a dancing girl.
(d) A flock of Canadian geese.

2. What three brand-name items does Styron use to destroy his diary?
(a) Cheez-its box, 3M tape, and Brawny towels.
(b) Viva towels, Scotch tape, and Post Raisin Bran cereal box.
(c) None, just throws it away in the garbage.
(d) Diamond matches, Kingsford Charcoal lighter, and Viva towels.

3. According to Styron, what is the greatest fallacy about suicide?
(a) The idea that there is one particular cause.
(b) That suicide is a painless way to go.
(c) That people only have to "buck up."
(d) That all depressed people commit suicide.

4. What aspect of depression parallels the threshold of pain?
(a) Its deep intensity.
(b) Its pervasiveness.
(c) The inability of the depressed person to absorb pain beyond predictable periods of time.
(d) Its unrelenting nature.

5. How does Styron describe his recovery from depression?
(a) He says he wasn't sure he was cured.
(b) He says he suddenly felt like a body with sweet bodily juices flowing through him.
(c) He says he was suddenly ecstatic.
(d) He says it was a slow, painful process.

6. For Styron, what do the black whirling stars of Van Gogh represent?
(a) Precursors of his plunge into dementia and self-annihilation.
(b) The everlasting nature of man's soul.
(c) The beauty of the night sky.
(d) The darkness of depression.

7. Why does he throw his diary in the garbage instead of burning it?
(a) He doesn't want to see any trace, such as ashes.
(b) It better represents the annihilation of a loathful self, and deserves to be thrown in the garbage as well.
(c) He doesn't want to start a fire and let his friends know what he was doing.
(d) He is afraid of fire, so couldn't bring himself to burn the diary.

8. What therapies are used in the hospital?
(a) No therapies; Styron just rested.
(b) Medicines and psychotherapy.
(c) Group therapy, art therapy, and watching TV shows.
(d) Shock treatment and medicines.

9. For Styron, what is the most devastating loss of physical functions?
(a) His ability to stay awake during the day.
(b) His ability to sleep and lack of dreaming.
(c) His agility and interest in sports.
(d) His sexual drive.

10. Why did Styron's publisher have to reschedule a photo session?
(a) Styron had left to go to Paris.
(b) Styron had only smiled in a few pictures but still looked as if in despair.
(c) Styron refused to come out of his room.
(d) Styron was in the hospital.

11. What events led to Abraham Lincoln suffering depression and even attempting suicide?
(a) The Civil War.
(b) The death of his mother when he was 9 and his sister 10 years later.
(c) Slavery in the South.
(d) His wife's infidelity.

12. What conclusion can we make for what Styron says about his recovery?
(a) That is was difficult and required a lot of strength.
(b) Writing in his diary helped him recover.
(c) Medicines need to be adjusted correctly.
(d) That he just needed some more rest.

13. In the movie, "Through a Glass Darkly," the hallucination that the actress has is about what?
(a) Getting lost in the woods
(b) Snakes crawling on the ceiling.
(c) A spider trying to sexually attack her.
(d) Monsters in her closet.

14. Styron compares the theories about depression to the theories about what?
(a) Dinosaurs and Black Holes.
(b) The world is square/round debate.
(c) Evolution.
(d) Creation.

15. Though depression tends to recur, what advantage do sufferers of recurrence have?
(a) They are already on medicines.
(b) They know the best doctors and hospitals to use.
(c) Their family knows what to do for them.
(d) They know it is curable and know how to work through it.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does his diary represent his mental state?

2. What happens to Styron's speech as he becomes more depressed?

3. What does Styron say is absent in depression that causes it to be so difficult to endure?

4. What does the doctor tell Styron about his medicine, Halcion, and its dosage?

5. How long does Styron have to stay in the hospital?

(see the answer keys)

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