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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 kind of tree leaves does Ambrose remember from his younger days?

2. What does Ambrose decide the daughter of the funhouse operator, who hears his stories, will think of Ambrose?

3. What is one of the reasons the front passenger is protected more from the sun than the driver?

4. What does the narrator say is the primary function of the middle of a story?

5. Where does Magda’s rest her right hand while the family is driving to Ocean City?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are Peter and Magda doing while Ambrose is in the Funhouse?

2. What does Ambrose see in his imagination about married life?

3. What gives Ambrose hope that he will find the exit to the Funhouse?

4. How are the teenagers able to get into the Funhouse?

5. What has Ambrose realized about winning the traditional game, and at what age does he understand this tactic?

6. What does Ambrose remember of a cigar box his Uncle Karl has?

7. How does Ambrose feel about the Funhouse on the way home, and what does Uncle Karl do about the whole affair?

8. What does the Gypsy Fortune Teller machine look like?

9. What does Ambrose think he sees when he steps into the mirror room in the Funhouse?

10. What happens as the teenagers are entering the Funhouse?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose two significant symbols and trace and analyze their appearance in Lost in the Funhouse. Are these universal symbols that would have the same meaning in any culture? What other symbols could portray the same idea? Why do you think Barth chooses the symbols he does? Consider symbols such as the Towers, Fat May, the Funhouse, and the oil in the ocean.

Essay Topic 2

The narrator asks at the beginning of Lost in the Funhouse 'for whom is the funhouse fun?' Discuss, in depth, what you believe Ambrose’s response to the above question would be.

Essay Topic 3

Characters are an integral and important part of almost all short stories.

Compare/contrast the characters of Ambrose and Peter. How are they similar? How are they different? Is there a flaw in each of their personalities? What are their strengths and weaknesses? Be specific and give examples. How do they seem different? Which do you like more? Why? Which one seems more of a well-rounded character?

(see the answer keys)

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