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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 "A View of the Woods," what color does Fortune think the woods turn one evening?

2. In the story "Everything That Rises Must Converge," what does Julian's mother insist on doing when she exits the bus that Julian wishes she would not?

3. In "The Lame Shall Enter First," what is Rufus Johnson's IQ?

4. In the story "The Comforts of Home," what does Star threaten to do if Thomas throws her out of the house?

5. In the story "A View of the Woods," what does Mary Fortune tell her grandfather would happen to anyone who beat her?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. In the story "Revelation," why does Mrs. Turpin continue to repeat the phrase "there's a heap of things worse than a nigger"?

3. In the story "Judgment Day," what is Foley's significance in the community?

4. In the story "Parker's Back," what does Parker do between the two tattooing sessions necessary to complete his tattoo of Jesus?

5. In the story "A View of the Woods," why does Mary Fortune attack her grandfather for beating her but not her father?

6. In the story "The Comforts of Home," what motivates Thomas' mother to help Star?

7. Describe Mrs. Greenleaf's process for faith-healing in the story "Greenleaf."

8. In the story "The Comforts of Home," why is Thomas mournful that his father has died but "had not been able to endure him in life"?

9. In the story "Parker's Back," how does Parker change as the result of his tattoo of Jesus?

10. In "The Lame Shall Enter First," what draws Sheppard to Rufus Johnson?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the themes in the collection of short stories "Everything That Rises Must Converge" is morality. Select three of the stories dealing with this theme and:

1) explain what the story says about morality;

2) demonstrate how the theme is developed in the story.

Then explain what you think Flannery O'Connor's overall commentary on morality is in the novel as a whole.

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

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

Violence figures heavily into some of the stories in the collection. Choose two of the stories that include strong examples of violence and:

1) explain how violence is portrayed in the story;

2) describe the impact violence has in the story;

3) explain what you think the author is trying to say about violence through this story.

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

(see the answer keys)

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