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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. What is the relationship like between Hal and Orin?

2. What is Hal's father's name?

3. Who is the headmaster of the tennis academy Hal attends?

4. What is the name of the radio show that Mario and Hal listen to at a local club?

5. How old is Hal in Chapter 3 when he goes to visit the professional conversationalist?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Lyle's enjoyment of licking sweat symbolize?

2. What role does Millicent Kent play in Mario's life?

3. What kind of relationship did James seem to have with his father?

4. What indicates that the medical attache is obsessed with the tape?

5. Is James similar to his father?

6. Which of the Incandenza brothers is the most stable?

7. What significant event happens in Chapter 5, Year of the Depend Adult Undergarment?

8. In Chapters 21 - 25, what kind of relationship do Orin and Hal have?

9. What events led to Orin's football career?

10. How does Wallace create back stories for the characters?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The character of Lyle is symbolic of one's desire to feed off the exertion of others. What characters fit into this category? Identify at least two characters who might fit into this pattern.

Essay Topic 2

Was James' genius a blessing or a curse?

Essay Topic 3

Does each part of Infinite Jest serve a specific purpose? Are there any elements to the story that are pointless? If so, why are these elements still included?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 900 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample