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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. What does Mr. McEachern make Christmas do later in the day after the punishment?

2. What does Christmas do when he returns to the spring?

3. What is Joe Christmas' biggest secret?

4. What does Mame tuck into Christmas' pocket?

5. What does the answer to #65 call the dietician's problem with the Christmas situation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Byron Bunch's first impressions of Joe Christmas?

2. Why does the dietician set out to destroy Christmas after the toothpaste incident?

3. What does the dietician's pink toothpaste symbolize for Christmas?

4. What revelations does Brown share when he shows up in town after the murder?

5. Joe leaves the whorehouse and enters "the street which was to run for fifteen years." What is the significance of this statement?

6. Why are the people of Jefferson not sure that Reverend Hightower is interested in them?

7. Why does Christmas toss away the food Mrs. McEachern brings him after Mr. McEachern has beaten him?

8. Why does Christmas think that his killing McEachern will make him seem heroic in Bobbie's eyes?

9. What is the symbolism of the polished shoes in this chapter?

10. What is the irony of McEachern beating Christmas for not memorizing his catechism lesson?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Racism is a major theme in the book and is Joe Christmas' main source of personal angst. Why does Christmas not just claim to be a white man to make his life easier? Why does he persist in declaring his partial black blood which only creates more problems for him?

Essay Topic 2

A major theme in the book is the status and treatment of women in society. Why are women who step outside the boundaries of so-called proper behavior chastised and alienated by the men but accepted by the women? Why are the prominent men in the town especially anxious to get rid of Lena? Why do they not show any compassion for the young woman?

Essay Topic 3

Faulkner is a master at literary devices. Choose three examples of symbolism, metaphors, etc., and briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

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