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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. John writes, "I don't want to be old. And I certainly don't want to be _____________ ."

2. According to John, how does Jack treat words?

3. What river did John and Glory see Jack's daughter playing in?

4. How old was John when Lila first came to church?

5. As a boy, what did Jack do to the John's mailbox?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the nature of the conversation John and Boughton have while Lila, their son, and Glory have gone to the movies?

2. What is the nature of the discussion John and Jack have about predestination?

3. How does John recall Boughton's parents?

4. How does John respond to Jack's question about his family moving to Gilead?

5. What is John's point on preaching on Hagar and Ishmael?

6. What does John believe about the soul in Paradise?

7. How does John describe the responsibility that comes from encountering another person?

8. What is John's response to the possibility that there may be something approaching love between Lila and Jack?

9. What are two memories of pranks that John and Boughton share on Boughton's porch?

10. What are John's thoughts on "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

It is conceivable that Jack Boughton and John's wife Lila have common traits. While John's descriptions of Lila are admittedly sketchy, discuss any parallels between these two characters, but also any significant differences.

Essay Topic 2

John seems to harbor some resentment to the fact that he is Jack Boughton's namesake. Discuss why this is the case, how this resentment manifests itself, and how he deals with the responsibility of helping forge Jack's character.

Essay Topic 3

In the first section of the book, pages 1 - 8, discuss what expositional elements emerge. Identify and describe the thematic and narrative foundations found in this section and how these themes are carried through the rest of the novel. Select and describe what you think is the central theme of the book.

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This section contains 749 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample