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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. In the story "The Comforts of Home," what hobby does Thomas' mother suggest that Star take up?

2. In the story "Greenleaf" why does Mrs. May freeze when she sees the bull coming across the pasture?

3. In the story "Parker's Back," why does Parker say "long views" depress him?

4. In the story "The Comforts of Home," why is Star jailed?

5. In the story "Judgment Day," where does Tanner's daughter find him when she returns home from the grocery store?

Short Essay Questions

1. In the story "Parker's Back," why doesn't Sarah Ruth want Parker to have the Bible tattooed on his back?

2. In "The Lame Shall Enter First," how does Norton react when Rufus tells him about hell? Why?

3. In "The Lame Shall Enter First," why is Sheppard bothered by his son eating cake for breakfast?

4. In the story "Judgment Day," what do the two notes that Tanner writes instruct their readers to do?

5. In the story "The Enduring Chill." what attracts Asbury to the Roman Catholic church?

6. In the story "The Enduring Chill," how does Dr. Block respond when Asbury tells him he cannot understand his illness?

7. In the story "Greenleaf," how do the Greenleafs come to live on the May farm?

8. In the story "Judgment Day," how do Tanner's and his daughter's views on burial differ?

9. Describe what happens to Julian's mother when she offers a penny to the black child in the story "Everything That Rises Must Converge."

10. In the story "Judgment Day," what is the joke Tanner plans on playing on Coleman and Hooten?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Imagine if one of the stories in this collection was missing from it. Choose one of the stories and "remove" it from the collection. Write an essay:

1) explaining the role that the story plays in the collection;

2) describing how the collection would be different without the story;

3) comment on the quality of the novel without the story--would it be better or worse? Why?

Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

Several of the stories in this collection offer a commentary on charity. Select three of the stories in which this commentary is developed and:

1) explain what the stories say about charity;

2) demonstrate how the author develops this commentary in the story;

3) respond to the author's commentary--do you agree or disagree with her? Why?

Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

One of the recurrent topics in the collection of short stories "Everything That Rises Must Converge" is family. Select three of the stories dealing with this topic and:

1) explain what the story says about family;

2) demonstrate how the concept of family is developed in the story.

Then explain what you think Flannery O'Connor's overall commentary on family is in the novel as a whole. Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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