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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 greets Willie outside of church after the service ends?

2. What favor does Tom ask of the librarian?

3. Why is Doctor Little surprised when he looks at Willie?

4. How does the boy at the postmaster's differ from Wilie?

5. From what book does Tom read to Willie after his bath in Chapter 6?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Willie ashamed of himself? Should Willie be ashamed? Who has taught Willie his values and what kind of values are they?

2. How is Willie's reaction to the squirrel and the dog telling of his character?

3. Why does Willie believe that he is a bad boy and what are the consequences of his being one?

4. How does Tom feel about the war? What does he say and do that indicate those feelings?

5. How does Willie feel about Zach and what indicators are there about the way their friendship will or will not develop?

6. Why are George's sisters upset with George on the day of the picnic, and what does this say about the way that they think?

7. What is the significance of the graveyard?

8. Tom mutters to himself, "best not get fond of the boy, Thomas." Why do you believe that he says this, and what does he mean by it?

9. What might be foreshadowed by Tom dusting off the paints at the end of Chapter 2?

10. How does Tom help Willie with the humiliation that he feels after his first day at school and what do the two of them discover about Willie?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is Tom Willie's psychiatrist and doctor? How does Tom approach the healing of Willie?

Essay Topic 2

Why is Geoffrey brought into the novel? How does he help in the healing of Willie?

Essay Topic 3

How does the main setting of the novel affect the storyline?

(see the answer keys)

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