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. Where does Styron spend his summers?

2. In what year does Styron first realize his illness could lead to his death?

3. What philosophical question does Gary present as central to all philosophy; a question that confuses Styron until years later when he suffers his depression?

4. What is Styron not able to recover?

5. What pressing question does Styron have about the course of depression?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened to Styron and his drinking habits and how did that affect him?

2. Why did Styron say he believes he lost the award check?

3. What did Styron say about the impression his intense thoughts of suicide would have on others?

4. Discuss why Styron was so appreciative of receiving the del Duca award?

5. What did the diary represent to Styron? What did he do with it?

6. How did Styron describe the internal struggle with depression? What was causing this internal struggle, beside just the depression?

7. How did Styron begin preparing for his death?

8. What did the suicide of several of Styron's friends lead him to do, and what was the result of this action?

9. What happened to Styron as his depression progressed?

10. Why was depression such a hard thing for Styron in 1985?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The difference between an autobiography and a memoir is that the memoir is about a specific topic or time span in the author's life. An autobiography is similar, but usually takes a more global look at the writer's life, including background information that leads up to the point in time of the events being examined. Discuss how Darkness Visible is a memoir, but has some characteristics of autobiography. Defend your idea of whether the work is a memoir or more of an autobiography. Use examples from the book to prove your position.

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

One of the characteristics of a good memoir is for the author to take one position in relevance to the topic. Does Styron effectively take one position in relation to depression? Give proof of your position from the book. What references from the book support his taking a certain stance, or did he fail to do that? What is his position (s) in reference to depression?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 938 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample