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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. Where had Peyton gone to college?

2. How old is Peyton on her birthday in Chapter 3?

3. How many years have Milton and Helen been separated?

4. What is the main industry in Port Warwick?

5. What do Milton and Helen argue about at Peyton's party?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some of Helen's recollections in Chapter 1?

2. How does the narrator address the reader and how is setting established in the novel?

3. How does LIE DOWN IN DARKNESS begin?

4. Why is Dolly disheartened by Milton's behavior when they're having drinks at the country club?

5. What is significant about the letter that Milton reads while waiting for the train?

6. What did Peyton and Buster do to Maudie that ends in Helen's slapping Peyton in front of people?

7. What does Milton tell Dolly about Peyton's distressful adjustment to New York City?

8. What is the premise of LIE DOWN IN DARKNESS?

9. How does Helen feel about Dolly and her husband and when does she know there is something going on between Dolly and Milton?

10. Describe Dolly's feelings about Peyton.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the significance of the funeral hearse that keeps breaking down. What did Styron want the reader to take away from this recurring incident? What symbolism does the hearse have for the main characters? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the overall setting for the novel. Why does Styron use the setting he does? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the characters?

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 7, the author provides Peyton's thoughts through a technique called stream of consciousness. Define stream of consciousness. Then explain how Chapter 7 uses this technique. Why would the author choose to use this technique in his novel? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

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