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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. When Lenny comes downstairs, what reason does he give for not being able to sleep?

2. After addressing Lenny's concern about not being able to sleep, who does Teddy ask Lenny about?

3. What does Ruth want to do by herself shortly after she and Teddy arrive at the family home?

4. How does Sam describe Jessie?

5. On what subject does Lenny ask Max for advice?

Short Essay Questions

1. "The Homecoming" takes place in an old London house where four men live. Who are these men and how are they related to each other?

2. Max threatens violence toward his son Lenny at different points in the play; give one example.

3. When Teddy arrives at his family's home, what does he find unchanged?

4. Throughout the play, Max verbally abuses his son Joey; give an example of this verbal abuse.

5. What does Lenny ask his father about the night he was conceived?

6. What does Max mean when he uses the phrase "one flow of stinking pus after another?"

7. When Lenny first greets his brother, why does the conversation involve a clock?

8. How does Max respond to Lenny's question about his conception?

9. What evidence do we have that Max dominates his brother Sam, as well as his own sons?

10. Who is Jessie and what do we learn about her at the beginning of the play?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast the characters of Max and Sam, two brothers who seem to represent totally opposite values. Include specific examples of their differences and their attitudes toward each other.

Essay Topic 2

Analyze the ending of the play in terms of what it means for Max, for Ruth, and for the future of each of the characters in the play.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the shocking information Sam reveals near the end of the play and explain the implications of what he tells the family. Explain what evidence there is in the play that Max may have already known this information.

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