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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How did Lincoln attempt to vanquish death due to his own hand?

2. What is Styron's avoidance of death due to?

3. How does Styron respond to the experimental approach?

4. What note does Styron want to copy for his goodbye letter?

5. As horrible as this hallucination is, what does Styron say about Bergman, who wrote the script?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Even though it is nonfiction, a good memoir develops the characters through description, dialogue, and characterization, much as is done in fiction. Describe and give examples of how Styron develops his characters to make them interesting and insure the audience is sympathetic to them. Did he effectively develop his characters? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

A memoir is somewhat like a figurative photograph of the writer. It may be like an individual photograph or a group photograph. It offers sensory and symbolic details that paint a picture of the writer at that point in time. Discuss how Styron uses sensory detail and symbolic writing to paint his picture. Give examples from the book of how he does this, including language he may have used.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Styron' s quote from his book, "A great book should leave you with many experiences, and slightly exhausted. You should live several lives while reading it." If this statement is indeed true, did Styron fulfill that quote? Explain why or why not. Do you agree with this quote? Give examples pinpointing the point from the book.

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