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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. Russell is shocked when Lucy decides to marry who?

2. What was the black street in Russell's neighborhood?

3. What high school group rejects Russell, despite his good grades?

4. Where does Russell invite Mimi, only to give her hours of walking tour history lessons?

5. With what military branch did Uncle Harold serve?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. After Belleville, where does the family move?

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

4. How do Russell and George view Mimi?

5. What is odd about the family's new Baltimore home?

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

7. Explain Mimi's childhood.

8. Why doesn't Lucy approve of Mimi?

9. When Lucy announces she and Herb will marry, how does Russell feel?

10. What are Russell and Lucy's letters back and forth about?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Russell and Doris spend much of their childhood with Uncle Allen and Aunt Pat. Why does the family move in with them? Are they happy to have their relatives come? Why or why not? Why does Russell view them as an odd couple? What does Russell learn from Aunt Pat and Uncle Allen? What does Russell learn from Uncle Charlie and Uncle Hal?

Essay Topic 2

Though the novel is written by Russell, Lucy plays a huge role throughout the work. Who do you think is the novel's main character, Russell or Lucy? Be sure to examine the story's plot and style before coming to a decision. Be prepared to support your answer with textually based arguments.

Essay Topic 3

In the work, Russell states that talk was the pastime of the Depression. How is this illustrated in the novel? What memories does Russell have of those times? Does Russell realize that the family is poor, or is he completely oblivious? How does the home in Belleville with Aunt Pat, Uncle Allen, etc. illustrate this point?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 572 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample