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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. How do the children react to Bull's injury?

2. What is the name of the Meecham family dog?

3. How does Mary Anne threaten Ben?

4. Where does Bull stop so that everyone can go to the bathroom?

5. Who comes to the Meecham house in Chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens on Ben's date with Ansley?

2. What does Bull want his daughter's to be as adults? How does this correspond with Mary Anne's opinion of her own future prospects?

3. Why does Bull play war games with his children?

4. Why does Bull refuse to discuss with Lillian his assignment to fly over Cuba?

5. Why does Bull begin having breakfast at Hobie's Grill?

6. Why does Bull want Ben to date Ansley Matthews? How does Ben feel about this date?

7. What does Varney know about Bull that few others know?

8. Who is Arrabelle Smalls and why has she come to the Meecham home?

9. Why do both the Meecham children's mother and grandmother plead with the children to behave on the road trip to South Carolina?

10. In Chapter 8, what does Lillian congratulate Bull for doing? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Ben is man of the family in his father's absence. How is the family different with Ben in charge? How is the family the same? How is Ben like Bull? How is Ben different? Will Ben grow up to be his own man, or will he follow in his father's footsteps? How has Bull's early death affected the course of Ben's life? How might Ben's life been different had Bull not died the way he did?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss abuse. What is abuse? What are the different types of abuse? How many different types of abuse can you find in this novel? Give examples of each. Who is the perpetrator of abuse in this novel? Who are the victims? Why are these people victims?

Essay Topic 3

Who does Mary Anne most resemble, Lillian or Bull? Give some examples of this. Why does Mary Anne continuously attempted to goad her father? What does Mary Anne want from Bull? Why does Mary Anne talk about the future with such despair? Does Mary Anne really believe she will end up like her mother? Why? Is this why Mary Anne speaks of suicide?

(see the answer keys)

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