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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. What piece of literature had Stewart's attorney included in his last letter to him?

2. What solution does Eliot's father present for Eliot's current problem?

3. What paper does Fred read surreptitiously with his coffee and Danish?

4. Who are the men seated across from Eliot at the fountain?

5. What is The Click Noyes tells Charley about when Eliot is in the office?

Short Essay Questions

1. How has Eliot prepared for his trip to see Sylvia in Indianapolis? What is his night like before leaving for the trip?

2. How do the Buntlines have a servant, Selena, living in their home? How does Selena feel about living with the Buntlines?

3. During his father's visit, Eliot takes a call from someone in the town. What do the two of them discuss while his father is there listening?

4. Harry Pena and his sons are on a fishing boat which is visible from the dining room of The Weir. What do customers see from the vantage point of their windows? What does Harry do about this situation?

5. While he is looking at the books in the news store with Lila, Fred comes across a book that interests him. What is the book and what is it about?

6. Delbert Peach comes to Eliot's office and tells him he is certain Eliot will never return. Why does Mr. Peach think Eliot will not return, and how does Eliot respond?

7. Eliot's father arrives at his office on the morning of his departure, and it is a complete surprise to Eliot. Eliot is happy to see his father, but the feelings are not mutual. Why has the Senator come to see his son? What happens during their visit?

8. Discuss the interchange between Carolyn and Fred Rosewater at the news store. What do we learn about both characters in the short scene at the newsstand?

9. Kilgore Trout puts his "spin" on Eliot's life in Rosewater. How does he explain Eliot's work for the people of Rosewater?

10. Stewart Buntline is a multi-millionaire who lives in Pisquontuit with his wife Amanita and daughter Lila. When he was younger, however, he had different plans. What were they, and what happened to them?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the home of Caroline and Fred Rosewater. Where do they live? What is their house like? Compare their home to that of Eliot Rosewater, Fred's second cousin, and that of Amanita and Stewart Buntline. How do the three contrast with each other?

Essay Topic 2

There are two scenes that are high points in the novel: Eliot's argument with his father and his solution to the lawsuit he is facing. Which would you consider the climax of the novel and why?

Essay Topic 3

Describe Eliot's service in the Army. What two things happen to him while in the Army that ultimately change his life? Discuss the importance of both things.

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