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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 what style did Albie say the family's home had been fashioned when he told Chuck about the cupola for the first time?

2. What name did Chuck call his grandmother Sarah until he was in third grade?

3. What malady contributed to the death of Holly's former business partner, Bill Hodges?

4. The prologue of the story "If It Bleeds" discusses January of which year?

5. The first time the scene changes within "December 8-9, 2020," Holly is getting ready to watch what type of show at 3 in the afternoon?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens in the prologue of the story "If It Bleeds" and how does it set the mood of the story?

2. How does the reader learn the way in which Chuck incurred the scar on his hand?

3. In what way does the motif of dreams appear within the story entitled "If It Bleeds"?

4. For what reason does King include an allusion to Walt Whitman's "Song of Myself" in Act I: I Contain Multitudes of the story "The Life of Chuck"?

5. What is the significance of the phrase "Twirlers and Spinners" (143) in Act I: I Contain Multitudes of "The Life of Chuck"?

6. What did Chuck's grandfather Albie tell him during his childhood about why no one ever entered the cupola in the family home?

7. What sort of coping mechanisms does Holly use to cope with the effects of her past trauma?

8. What did Chuck see when he opened the door to the cupola after his grandfather Albie's funeral?

9. Who is Holly Gibney and what other novel written by Stephen King is referenced as featuring Holly as well?

10. What is revealed to be the true source of Chuck's crescent-shaped scar?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine King’s use of characterization methods to portray Holly within the narrative. What effects do these characterization methods have on the themes and messages inherent in the story entitled "If It Bleeds" in the collection of the same name? As an alternative, focus on Chuck's character within the story "The Life of Chuck."

Essay Topic 2

Discuss King’s decision to include colloquialisms, slang, and profane language within the text. What purpose did King have in mind when including these instances and how does the inclusion of these instances support the overarching themes and messages of the text?

Essay Topic 3

How are the topics of romantic relationships, love, and marriage treated within the collection If It Bleeds and how does their treatment relate to the collection's depicted messages?

(see the answer keys)

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