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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. Who is Orpheus Wettenhall?

2. When Dunstan does not respond to Liesl's advances, what does Liesl beat him with?

3. The papers reported Boy Staunton was found in his car in the bottom of what harbor?

4. What book of Dunstan's becomes a bestseller?

5. When Paul thanks Dunstan for the temporary loan, what is he referring to?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to the young men that Boy takes under his wing in his company as prodigies?

2. Why does Dunstan not want to write Boy's memoir when Denyse asks him to?

3. Why does Dunstan enjoy writing the autobiography of Magnus Eisengrim?

4. How is Boy's second wife described in the book?

5. What memory has Boy suppressed from their childhood that shocks Dunstan when he learns Boy doesn't remember it?

6. How does Boy Staunton make a fortune during the Depression?

7. Before Dunstan leaves to return to Colborne college, what does he convince Paul to do?

8. What does Dunstan think is suspicious about the way Leola died?

9. Why is Leola a failure as a wife in Boy's eyes?

10. When Dunstan tries to remind Boy about the things he has done in his life, including the stone-in-the-snowball incident, Boy responds unpleasantly and accuses Dunstan of what?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Both the Catholic priest in Deptford and Padre Blazon refer to Mary Dempster as a fool-saint, whereas Dunstan thinks of her as a true saint. Please explain what a fool-saint and a saint are, what the differences are between the two, and whether you agree or disagree with the characterization of Mary Dempster as a fool-saint. Support your answer using examples from the text.

Essay Topic 2

Percy and Dunstan are two characters with a relationship throughout the book. How does their relationship benefit each of them when they are children? When they are in university? When they are adults? What kind of relationship does theirs resemble and why? Are they like competitors, or are they more like siblings? Please support your answer with examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Using examples from the book, how has Dunstan's personality and character changed throughout the story? When he was a child, how did he deal with his problems? How does he deal with them as an adult? What was important to him as a child, and what is important to him now? Why did Dunstan's character change?

(see the answer keys)

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