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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. Styron calls depression:

2. What causes Styron to lose his voice in Paris?

3. Why is Styron not worried about the loss?

4. What did Styron do for Hoffman regarding a political demonstration led by Hoffman?

5. What happens to Gary's ex-wife?

Short Essay Questions

1. What term did Stryon say was a more apt description of depression than that word itself?

2. What sort of attachments did Styron form as his depression progressed?

3. How did Styron begin preparing for his death?

4. What did Styron have to say about hospitalization for depressed people?

5. Discuss how Styron says he attempted to handle the increasing malaise that began to overcome him beginning in the summer.

6. What effect did watching the flight of a flock of Canadian geese have on Styron?

7. What did Styron say about his physical condition after he got released from the hospital?

8. What role does Styron say friends and family play for the person with depression?

9. What did Styron say caused the incipient insomnia that depressed people often experienced?

10. Why did Cino del Duca, whom the award was named for, decide to publish works of literary merit?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss how Styron's depression and the influence of the writings of his friends impacted his writing. Discuss the influences can we see of not only his own depression, but the writings of Camus on Styron's work.

Essay Topic 2

Critics have indicated that Styron left much of his personal journey out of the book. As a memoir of madness, we might expect, and deserve, to read more of Styron's journey through madness. Yet, he didn't include it. Why might this be? Would the book have been better or worse if more detail of the struggle had been included? Do you think leaving out the information was by plan or by accident? Why?

Essay Topic 3

Styron takes offense at the limiting and uninformed perspective people use when assessing people who have either committed or attempted to commit suicide. He takes a totally opposite perspective. Discuss Styron's perspective toward those who suffer from depression to the point of suicide and use examples of what he uses to justify his perspective. Does his justification of his approach really justify his perspective, or is he biased? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 968 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample