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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. Which of the following is NOT something Grandma Moore regularly complained about when she was living with the Karr family?

2. Which of the following animals did NOT flood into the street after the hurricane?

3. What did Pete tell the girls was the most dangerous part of a man-of-war jellyfish?

4. What act of service did Pete and the girls perform for Charlie when she returned to Leechfield after the funeral?

5. What condition was Mary's mother diagnosed with when Mary was a child?

Short Essay Questions

1. What led up to the fight between Charlie and Pete on Mary's tenth birthday?

2. How did Mary find out that her family was moving, yet again, from Colorado?

3. How did Grandma Moore treat Cousin Dotty in comparison to the way she treated Charlie?

4. In what ways did Mary try to care for her father when he came to live with the family after being released from the hospital?

5. What happened when Hector and Pete met face-to-face in Texas?

6. What did Mary believe to be the most traumatic memory of her childhood?

7. Who was Mr. Thibideaux?

8. How did the Karr family cope when they were all struck with insomnia at the same time?

9. Where was Mary when she was sexually assaulted, and what was her reaction to the event?

10. What was Lecia's reaction to the news that Grandma Moore had died?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

One of the strongest symbols in the memoir is the symbol of the flock of locusts. First, describe the scene in which Mary interacts with the flock of locusts. What was going on Mary's life at this time? How did Mary interact with the locusts when she saw them? Then, explain how the flock of locusts might be used a symbol for the emotional state Mary was in when she first saw the flock of locusts. Do you think this symbol was effective? Why or why not? Be sure to cite at least two scenes from the memoir to strengthen your argument.

Essay Topic 2

Charlie's family history is one looming in shadow, as she is a woman who has kept many dark secrets. Choose two of Charlie's dark secrets that she keeps hidden in her past and explain them. Then, describe how Mary learned her mother's dark secrets. What were her reactions to these secrets? Then, explain how Charlie's dark secrets affected Mary and the way she was able to bond, and trust, her own family members, both in childhood and adulthood.

Essay Topic 3

One of the main issues Mary struggled with throughout her childhood was feeling competitive with her sister, Lecia. First, explain the relationship between Mary and Lecia in their early childhood. What elements of their personalities were pitted against each other for competition? Then, explain how the relationship between Mary and Lecia changed when their mother was committed. How did the competitive nature of the relationship between the two sister alter once their mother was no longer in the home? Be sure to include at least two examples of scenes from the memoir to strengthen your arguments.

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