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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. When Richie thinks about going AWOL, what country does he plan to run to?

2. In Earlene's letter to Richie, what does she apologize for?

3. Around the time of the Vietnamese New Year, what is happening on the streets of New York?

4. In the attempt to escape the Vietnamese troops, where is Richie shot?

5. What is the name of the Vietnamese New Year?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when the Vietnamese allies want the American troops to help them capture a crucial hill?

2. What happens when the allies bring in a Vietnamese mother and her two small children found wandering around the rice paddies?

3. How does Richie kill his first Vietcong soldier, and what is his reaction to the killing?

4. What does Richie do with his Purple Heart?

5. How does it come to be that Richie is shot?

6. How does Richie explain the shooting of the Vietcong soldier to his brother, Kenny?

7. What race relation issues come to light during the time of Vietnamese Tet?

8. Where do Richie and Peewee spend the night when they are separated from their squad, and how do they find their way there?

9. What letter does Gearhart give to Richie and Walowick to hold onto?

10. What offer does Gearhart make for the troops, when it is realized that the squads are unequally staffed?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The novel "Fallen Angels" is set at a time of American history in which the Civil Rights movement was pushing forward.

Part 1) Describe the way that racism in "the World" is presented in the novel.

Part 2) Describe the way that racism in the army is presented in the novel.

Part 3) Briefly discuss whether or not you feel that the novel presented the American history of the time in a fair and balanced way.

Essay Topic 2

Many of the soldiers in the novel have big dreams for themselves when they get out of the army. Choose three soldiers from Richie's squad and explain what their dreams for the future are. Then, explain how these dreams affected the soldiers' performance in battle.

Essay Topic 3

The dog tags of the soldiers are powerful symbols for their identification in the military. Describe the ways that the dog tags are used throughout the novel and explain the significance of the moment when all the dog tags of the fallen soldiers are lost.

(see the answer keys)

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