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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. Joyce was assured that he had a job waiting for him in which Italian city?

2. Joyce is a name of ________________ origin.

3. School records show that Joyce was punished for ______________________.

4. Joyce briefly considered a career in _______________.

5. How did Joyce choose to deal with his troubles?

Short Essay Questions

1. How was Joyce perceived in the literary community in Dublin in 1902?

2. Describe the salient points of Ellmann's explanation of Joyce's writing of "The Dead".

3. How did Joyce's professional relationship with Yeats begin?

4. Describe Joyce's father, John's, young life in Ireland.

5. What bad luck awaited Joyce when he went to Trieste for a position at a Berlitz school?

6. What role did Stanislaus play in Joyce's life in 1905-1906?

7. What type of writing did Joyce find interesting at this time and which author even sent Joyce a letter?

8. What difficulties did Joyce encounter when trying to enroll in classes in Paris in 1902-1903?

9. What was the source of a major break between Joyce and Nora in 1909 and what happened after he and Nora reconciled?

10. When did Joyce meet Nora Barnacle and what was she like?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Religion takes on an almost human persona in this book. What was the source of the religious beliefs? How pervasive were the religious beliefs? What is this literary technique called? Cite examples that support this position.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the significance of the book's title. Why does the author call it simply JAMES JOYCE? What was he trying to emphasize with this emphatic style? Suggest three alternate titles for this book with supporting rationale for each.

Essay Topic 3

Ellmann was a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

(see the answer keys)

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