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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. In "The Vacuum," what does Sedaris say he sees more of on the streets of New York during the pandemic?
2. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," what does the young woman in Union Square try to give Sedaris?
3. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," what is Sedaris relieved that his father does not remember accurately?
4. In "Pussytoes," what does Sedaris say he wants for his own casket, someday?
5. In "Lucky-Go-Happy," what does Sedaris notice everywhere once he starts touring again?
Short Essay Questions
1. In "The Vacuum," what kind of language does Sedaris complain about people using to describe the pandemic, and what are some examples of this language?
2. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," what do the changes in Lou suggest to Sedaris might be true in his own life?
3. In "Lady Marmalade," what reasons do the Sedaris siblings have for being skeptical of Tiffany's claims that Lou sexually abused her?
4. What is the rhetorical function of opening "The Vacuum" with the description of the supermarket near Sedaris's apartment?
5. In "Happy-Go-Lucky," what is the rhetorical function of Sedaris's comment that his father used to watch at lot of Fox News?
6. In "Fresh-Caught Haddock," what examples of his own unconscious racism does Sedaris give?
7. In "Pussytoes," what disagreement do the siblings have about the photo of Lou to use with his obituary?
8. In "The Vacuum," what activities does Sedaris describe filling his days with while he is waiting until he can go out and walk at night?
9. In "A Better Place," what are Sedaris's practical objections to the idea that deceased loved ones look down on us from heaven?
10. In "A Better Place," what is the rhetorical purpose of describing Lou's grave site in such detail?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
You have already analyzed how comic detail functions in "Pearls." Now, apply a similar analysis to another one of the essays in Happy-Go-Lucky. Consider how the essay functions without these details. Think about whether the comic details in your chosen essay have similar or dissimilar tones and how their tone(s) might impact readers. Write an essay that explicates how humor functions in this essay: is it intended to entertain, persuade, inform, or to fulfill some combination of these purposes? How does it accomplish Sedaris's purposes, exactly? Support your assertions with both quoted and paraphrased evidence from throughout the essay.
Essay Topic 2
"Lucky-Go-Happy" shares a somewhat pessimistic view of America in 2021. Based on the totality of this collection, would you call Sedaris a pessimist in general, or is his pessimism limited to this particular subject? How does he seem to view relationships, his own personal growth, getting older, and the other topics that he covers in Happy-Go-Lucky? What kinds of subject matter has he chosen to focus on in these essays? How does his language convey either a generally pessimistic, optimistic, or neutral outlook? Write an essay that affirms, refutes, or qualifies the following statement: "In Happy-Go-Lucky, David Sedaris displays a generally pessimistic outlook on life." Support your claims with both quoted and paraphrased evidence drawn from throughout the text.
Essay Topic 3
You have given some thought to what kinds of structural and focal choices are effective in conveying serious social ideas in a brief format like Sedaris's essays. But do these rules hold true when the subject matter is more personal or more lighthearted? Choose one of the essays from this collection that is about a topic that is either personal to Sedaris--such as one of the essays about his father or Hugh--or that is generally less serious--such as one of the essays about Amy or Sedaris's own failings. Write an essay that analyzes the structure and focus of the essay and then evaluates whether these choices are effective, and why. Support your assertions with evidence drawn from throughout the essay.
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This section contains 1,234 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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