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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 many months does Russell spend in training?

2. How long does it take Russell to sell his extra papers with the invasion headline?

3. Whom does Lucy begin to date in 1939?

4. Who is Russell's English teacher in his third year of high school?

5. What does Herb do for a living?

Short Essay Questions

1. How successful is Hal's lumber company?

2. When Germany surrenders, where is Russell sent to await orders?

3. What school accepts Russell?

4. After Doris meets Audrey, what does Uncle Harold do for her?

5. Why is Russell sent to the principle's office at his new school?

6. What is the first Civil Rights demonstration Russell sees in his life?

7. How do Russell and George view Mimi?

8. What class at school is torture for Russell, and why?

9. What is Russell's writing success in Mr. Fleagle's class?

10. Where does Russell work in his final year of high school?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the style of this work? What elements does the author blend together? What is the end result? How does the author make the adolescent and childhood experiences translate into meaningful reading for adults? Do you enjoy reading nonfiction and biographical works? Why or why not? Did you enjoy reading this book? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Examine Russell's relationship with Mimi. How did the two meet? When does Russell fall in love with her? Is he clear about when she falls in love with him? What is the central problem in their relationship? Discuss both sides of the "marriage argument:" why won't Russell marry her? How much influence does Lucy have over his opinions about marriage? What is the end result?

Essay Topic 3

One of the central themes of the work is Lucy's need for Russell to "make something of himself." How, throughout the novel, does she make him attempt to do so? What specific jobs does he have? What kinds of things does she teach him? Give examples of Lucy's quest from the text, explaining how each may have helped spur Russell on to the next step.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 567 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample