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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 does Samson do after being punished?

2. Why is Marston's relationship with the Turners?

3. Who knows more about the Turners than anyone else?

4. How does Mary punish Samson for stealing?

5. Who discovered the body?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the state of Dick and Mary's romantic relationship.

2. What does Mary think influenced her decision to get married?

3. What type of store does Dick build on the farm? What does Mary think about it?

4. Describe Mary's social life.

5. How does Mary's financial situation change after getting married?

6. Describe the the Slatters' visit to the Turner farm.

7. How does Mary feel as she and Dick pull up to the farm?

8. How does Mary's perspective on her new life change?

9. How does Marston feel about the murder? How does he feel about the way Slatter and the Sergeant talk to him?

10. Describe the stores in South Africa and their symbolism.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay describing the difficulties women have faced throughout history in divorcing their husbands and ending an unhappy marriage. Be sure to use chronological examples that illustrate how woman's rights have changed over time.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay that describes the parenting done by characters in the novel and how it influences them and other characters. Examples include Mary's bad parents damaging her ability to relate to others, or Charlie Slatter's jealousy towards the privileges of his children.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay on the role of human weakness in THE GRASS IS SINGING. Be sure to address:

1) How characters show weakness and how other characters react to this weakness.

2) The role of human fallibility in the story.

3) How reading THE GRASS IS SINGING can motivate readers to be stronger and exercise more control over their lives.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 895 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample