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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. To whom is Milton writing a letter while Helen and Maudie are out of town?

2. What is Carey's first impression of Helen?

3. Where does Helen take Maudie in November of 1942?

4. What does Helen tell Milton and Peyton when they return to the hospital?

5. Who does Milton run into in Charlottesville?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Milton remember about the Christmas of 1941?

2. What was the nature of Helen's meeting with Dolly at the tearoom?

3. Why does Carey find it difficult to minister to Helen?

4. Does Helen seek out Carey for her belief in God or something else?

5. In addition to the other parent/child relationships in the novel, how does Carey Carr's personal story fit in?

6. How does Peyton and Harry's first night as a married couple mirror Milton and Helen's marriage?

7. What is the perception of the Southern wedding guests toward Harry?

8. What do Carey and Milton talk about while waiting in the roadhouse for the hearse to be repaired?

9. What is Dolly's response to Helen's accusations and demands at the tearoom?

10. What is the nature of the letter Milton writes to Peyton while Helen and Maudie are out of town?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There is much symbolism in this story regarding the alarm clock. What does the alarm clock symbolize for the story? What does it symbolize for Peyton in particular? 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

The role of women is a main topic addressed in this story. Explain the theme that extends through all the female characters. What is the presumed role of women in America during the 1940s? Explain by giving examples.

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