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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. According to Styron, how many women have won the Prix Mondial Cino del Duca award?

2. Styron calls depression:

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

4. What does the suicide of another of Styron's friends lead him to believe?

5. How old was Levi when he committed his suicide?

Short Essay Questions

1. What devastating therapy did Styron avoid, and why did he say he was able to avoid it?

2. What indications of Gary's depression did Styron mention?

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

4. What hope does Styron offer to those who survive depression?

5. What was special about Styron's situation with depression?

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

7. What did Camus speak of that so strongly affected Styron? What relationship did Styron have with Camus?

8. What happened to Styron as his depression progressed?

9. What did Styron say was so harmful that doctors were prone to do for depressed people and why?

10. Where did Styron meet Abbie Hoffman, and why was Hoffman's suicide so hard to accept?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Discuss Styron's thoughts about human resiliency and social report and provide examples from the book. How important are each of these to an individual's recovery and survival?

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