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 day of the week did Nicholas receive the call that his son died?

2. Who made a special cloth used during the funeral?

3. What type of trees were releasing their seeds when Eric was laid to rest?

4. Which of Eric's belongings did the undertaker return that were unscathed?

5. For whom was the liturgy used at Eric's funeral originally written?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Eric look like in his coffin?

2. Why does Nicholas say that Eric's body was his to claim?

3. Why did Nicholas feel that it was a cruel mockery that Eric's backpack and boots were unscathed?

4. Why would Nicholas get angry with Eric?

5. What sacrament was celebrated at Eric's funeral?

6. Why does Nicholas say that the family took Eric for granted?

7. How did Nicholas learn that his son died?

8. What gave Eric delight in his later years?

9. How does Nicholas say that he and the family can live as faithfully and authentically with Eric gone as they did when he was present?

10. What does Nicholas believe would be insipid?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using examples from "Lament for a Son," discuss how Nicholas believes the family can live faithfully and authentically now that Eric is gone.

Essay Topic 2

Compare and contrast what Nicholas and Eric lost because of Eric's premature death.

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast what Jesus and what the Stoics felt about mourning, as explained in this book. Use examples from the book.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 624 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample