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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. In "Why I Write," what does Didion say she "plays by ear" (44)?
2. What mandatory class did Didion need to take at Berkeley before she could graduate?
3. What is English 106A, the course Didion discusses in "Telling Stories"?
4. In "Why I Write," Didion says she writes to understand what sorts of things?
5. What is one of the images Didion says many people have seen of Hemingway?
Short Essay Questions
1. What does Didion say about the first paragraph of Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms in "Last Words"?
2. What does Didion say about Yoko Ono in "Some Women"?
3. What character in A Book of Common Prayer developed from an image of the Panama airport at 6 a.m. that stayed in Joan's mind?
4. Where did Didion attend photoshoots in her story "Some Women," and what does she say she noticed about the most successful shoots?
5. What does Didion say about the Milton class she had to take in order to graduate from Berkeley?
6. What does Didion say about the way she thinks, or does not think, at the start of "Why I Write"?
7. What does Didion say of Richardson's often contrary behavior?
8. Describe the scene from "Long Distance Runner" when Didion and her husband arrive at St. Tropez to pick up their daughter.
9. What does Didion say about the title for her talk "Why I Write" at the start? From whom did she steal the title and what did she like about it?
10. How does Didion describe the public image and perception of Hemingway in "Last Words"?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Write an essay analyzing narrator reliability in Let Me Tell You What I Mean. Consider the reliability of the one's memory and possible biases one may bring to a piece. Use examples from Let Me Tell You What I Mean in your analysis.
Essay Topic 2
Write an essay about Didion's feeling about the underground press in "Alicia and the Underground Press." Use direct examples from the story that show the reader her views.
Essay Topic 3
Write an essay analyzing how Joan Didion's personal bias might influence her writing. Use the following stories as reference: "Everywoman.com," "Last Words," and "Long Distance Runner."
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This section contains 803 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
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