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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. How does Clewes view his time in prison?

2. Where does Starbuck find clarinet parts?

3. Who does Mary Kathleen say the rightful owners of RAMJAC are?

4. Where does Starbuck go to find Mary Kathleen?

5. What was the cause of Mary Kathleen's death?

Short Essay Questions

1. Were Mary Kathleen's dying wishes granted? How so?

2. How is Vonnegut invoking the senses of Starbuck's experience in his writing?

3. How does Leen mistake Starbuck for Mrs. Graham?

4. How does Leen feel about Mrs. Graham? How can you tell?

5. How far has Leland Clewes come since Starbuck last saw him?

6. Does Clewes accept Starbuck's apology? What is his response?

7. Does Mary Kathleen believe people are good? Why or why not?

8. Why does Starbuck face more jail time after Mary Kathleen's death?

9. Is Starbuck's son actually the monster Starbuck claims him to be? Explain.

10. What did Starbuck's life with Ruth embody?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Starbuck's soul is a frequent topic of discussion. Does Starbuck have a soul? If he does, what is its condition? As Mary Kathleen dies, she recognizes his lack of a soul and offers him some consolation. Discuss Starbuck's soul and morality in the context of himself and his surroundings.

Essay Topic 2

Vonnegut discusses a fan letter in the prologue, which says "love may fail, but courtesy will prevail." Discuss how this works as a theme in the book and its angle on humanity and society in "Jailbird."

Essay Topic 3

Discuss madness and psychosis in "Jailbird." How do people develop instability? How it is handled? What is Vonnegut's purpose for using psychosis in the larger narrative ?

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