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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 is Bull's real first name?

2. How does Mary Anne threaten Ben?

3. Who attempts to console Bull?

4. Who is Bull Meecham?

5. What type of nun is Sister Loretta Marie?

Short Essay Questions

1. 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?

2. Why does Bull sign his children up for Catechism classes?

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

4. Why does a Naval officer threaten to file a conduct report against Bull?

5. In Chapter 7, what does Bull do to wake his family? Why?

6. Who is Toomer? Why does Ben believe his mother encouraged him to go fishing with Toomer?

7. Why does Mary Anne believe neither she nor Ben will ever be writers?

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

9. Bull gives a speech to the officers in his new squad. What does Bull tell them?

10. What does Lillian claim is Bull's way of apologizing to Ben?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the theme of coming of age. Name a few examples of this theme in the novel. Ben turns eighteen during this novel. Is this part of his coming of age? Does age have anything to do with maturity? What else effects Ben's change, his maturity? How does Ben's maturing change his relationship with others in the novel? What about Mary Anne? How does she mature in this novel? Does she change as much as Ben? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Sammy's date is raped while they are on a date. Why does Sammy leave the girl to be raped? How could Sammy have helped the girl? Who rapes the girl? How does word of this rape cause trouble in Ravenel? Who do the locals blame for the rape? Is Sammy blamed? What happens to Sammy? How does this episode effect Ben?

Essay Topic 3

Who is Red Pettus? Why is Red cruel to others? Who does Red chose to pick on? Why? Does Red pick on Ben? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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