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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. Who does Thurber think is downstairs?

2. Why did Thurber's father decide to sleep in the attic?

3. What do Turber's family believe it is dangerous to use during storms?

4. What is the name of Thurber's next door neighbors?

5. What does Roy put under the car to simulate catastrophe?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does the record player wake up Father?

2. How did the REO meet its end?

3. Describe how the family erupts into chaos in the first chapter.

4. How does Grandfather react when the police break into his room?

5. How does Aunt Grace try to get rid of burglars every evening?

6. Who was General Meade?

7. How does Aunt Sarah Shoaf counter her fear of burglars?

8. How did people react to the claim the dam had burst?

9. How does Thurber react when he hears the ghost?

10. What is Briggs's nervous condition?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is Thurber's father's relationship with his sons? How does Thurber express the complexity of this relationship? How does Thurber's relationship with his father affect him?

Essay Topic 2

How does Thurber represent his family in the book? Does Thurber have any conflicts with his family and if so, how does he express these problems? How does Thurber's family shaped him as a person?

Essay Topic 3

In what way could Thurber's memoirs be described as farce? How despite the farce does Thurber communicate the deep and at time complicated relationships he has with his family?

(see the answer keys)

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