View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What did Joe's father ask him when he arrives at home?

2. What does Joe think he has to do first in order to kill himself?

3. Why does Joe not understand how he is alive?

4. After he finds out he has no mouth, teeth or palate what does he realize?

5. Why are Joe and Howie laying track in the desert?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Joe think guys should do when called up for the military?

2. Why doesn't Joe worry about loss of appetite?

3. Who does Joe call out to in his nightmare and why?

4. Describe the scene at the rail station when Joe is leaving for the army.

5. When is Joe's birthday; how did they celebrate; and what present did Glen give him one year? What came a few months after that present?

6. How does Joe realize he has no left arm and how does he feel about it?

7. What are the two problems Jose talks to the guys at the bakery about?

8. What book did Joe read that gave him a nightmare and what was that nightmare?

9. How does Joe come to know he has no face?

10. When did Joe become aware of the war and what events in the war occurred at that time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Joe thinks about how the doctor's have saved his life, but he rather than feeling appreciative, he is resentful and feels more like a science experiment. Discuss one of the following:

1. Elaborate on and analyze Joe's attitudes towards the doctors both at the field hospital and in his long term care facility.

2. Discuss the pros and cons of saving life at any cost, whether on the battlefield or otherwise.

3. One might think that doctors work harder to save young people because they are young and have not had a full lifespan, yet, in our culture, doctors often go to heroic efforts to save quite elderly persons, spending much resources for little return. Are their efforts "heroic"? Discuss fully.

Essay Topic 2

When a new nurse if finally able to understand that Joe is tapping out words using Morse Code, hope and joy infuse Joe. Discuss the following:

1. How does Joe finally manage to communicate with the new nurse?

2. What are Joe's reactions to communicating? Give examples.

3. Why do you think Joe offers to be a "circus" exhibit? Do you think he would eventually regret such an offer? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

For a few brief moments at the end of the book before Joe is sedated, he is able to communicate his desire to have a purpose. Discuss the following:

1. What does Joe offer to do? Is this a wise thing to suggest?

2. What is the response to Joe's offer? Why?

3. Why is having a sense of purpose so important to Joe?

4. Do you think Joe will re-think what he offers given the response and try to communicate again? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 963 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample