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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. How long has Robish been in prison?

2. What does Dan tell Griffin the second Dan spies the loaded gun?

3. Who is Samuel Robish?

4. What did Chuck do that night?

5. About what does Deputy Winston read a wire report?

Short Essay Questions

1. What gives the sheriff's office a clue about the convicts?

2. What makes Jesse Bard scared about the report Winston is reading the first morning at the sheriff's department?

3. What finally pushes Griffin over the edge?

4. What does Griffin make clear to Cindy and Dan?

5. What does Griffin want Dan and Cindy to do in the morning?

6. What does Griffin tell Eleanor?

7. What does Griffin tell Helen when she calls?

8. How does the atmosphere at the Indianapolis sheriff's department appear at the beginning of the play and what changes that?

9. What is Cindy doing when Dan and Eleanor are in their room?

10. What happens to Griffin when he leaves the Hilliard house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Cindy first arrives home after the three convicts have taken control of the home, she realizes the situation and almost runs, but Griffin stops her with the threat that he will kill Eleanor if Cindy tries to leave. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Would you run or stay if you were Cindy? Consider that it is possible the convicts would kill you along with your mother no matter what they say. Explain your rationale.

2. If you were Eleanor, would you want your daughter to run, even if it means your death? Explain.

3. Later in the story, the young boy of the household, Ralphie, does try to leave, though he is caught by Robish. Why do you think Ralphie tries to run; whereas, Cindy decides to enter the house and voluntarily become a hostage?

Essay Topic 2

The ending of Desperate Hours comes when the last convict, Glen Griffin, is out of the house and killed by the police. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Why do you think Dan will not kill Griffin even when Griffin asks him to?

2. Do you think Glen could have come out of the situation alive? Would he want to? Why does he not care about living? Is his brother really that important to him?

3. Did the police have no alternative than to shoot Glen? It says Glen was waving the gun, not that he was aiming the gun at anyone. Should the police tried to get Glen to drop the gun first before killing him?

Essay Topic 3

The three convicts enter the Hilliard home and take Eleanor hostage. Answer the following questions in a well-developed essay using examples from the book as well as personal experience:

1. Describe how Eleanor responds to the convicts' invasion. Do you think you would respond in a similar fashion? Why or why not?

2. Have you heard of a psychological response to a hostage situation called the "Stockholm Syndrome?" Research about this syndrome and then decide if you think the Hilliard family became that type of hostage. Why or why not?

3. Could Eleanor have done anything differently at the very beginning of this situation so that it did not escalate into a hostage situation? Do you think Eleanor's actions would be different now in the 21st century than when this situation occurs in the 1950s?

(see the answer keys)

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