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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. Where do Augusten and Greer shoot the beer commercial in Chapter 10?

2. Whom does Augusten think of in Chapter 7, as he watches Foster on the phone?

3. What bad news does Hayden Call with in Chapter 2?

4. What do Hayden and Augusten see their last night together?

5. At the beginning of Chapter 11, what disturbs Augusten most about Pighead's appearance?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Augusten's attitude toward his mother?

2. To whom does Augusten confide about Foster in Chapter 9?

3. Describe the commercial shoot in Chapter 10.

4. What bad news does Augusten get at the end of Chapter 10?

5. Describe Augusten and Pighead's interaction at the beginning of Chapter 7.

6. What does Augusten realize about Foster in Chapter 7?

7. In Chapter 9, how do Augusten and Hayden part ways?

8. Why does Augusten almost relapse at the end of Chapter 9?

9. Why is Augusten's relationship with Foster a problem from the beginning?

10. What is the fallout from Augusten's revelation about Foster at the end of Chapter 8?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Augusten Burroughs' tenuous sobriety is tested by a series of hardships. From the moment he returns home, he must make choices about what he must change in his life. Write an essay about three parts of Augusten's life that prove particularly rife for temptation and how he deals with them.

Part 1) Discuss how Augusten's job in advertising is the reason he goes to rehab and how it continues to be a challenge for him after he returns. What accounts prove particularly tough for Augusten? What strange occurrences lead him to believe someone is trying to sabotage him? How does he deal with this?

Part 2) Why does Augusten have such difficulty letting Pighead into his life? Discuss what about Pighead makes him a risky acquaintance? What kind of support does Pighead give Augusten? What danger does he bring to the recovering addict?

Part 3) How is Augusten's relationship with Foster a complete violation of the rules of his recovery? What mutual danger do they bring to each other's life? Discuss how Foster's weakness hurts Augusten. What terrible kindness does he provide the protagonist after a friend's death?

Essay Topic 2

For Augusten Burroughs, the willingness to accept the love of another person, and to give love in return, is an ambiguous choice. Indeed, there are only two individuals that Augusten lets into his heart, as it were. Write about each of these individuals. Why is it initially impossible to form a real healthy relationship? How does sexuality prove intensely destructive to both men and Augusten? Why does Augusten part ways with each?

Part 1) Pighead

Part 2) Foster

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay charting the progression of Augusten's relapse in Dry. What components of his life after Proud Institute make the possibility of relapse more likely? How does Augusten toy with the idea of taking a drink several times before actually doing it? What is the final straw? Discuss how Augusten's eventual relapse creates a far more volatile habit of consumption and accelerates his journey to bottom.

(see the answer keys)

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