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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 new doctor does Diana see in Act 1, Scene 8?

2. What word (in a dramatic or literary work) refers to a decisive moment that is of maximum intensity or is a major turning point in a plot?

3. What song does Diana, Natalie and Gabe sing in Act 1, Scene 7?

4. Who wrote the music for Next to Normal?

5. What song does Gabe sing in Act 1, Scene 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Gabe sing with Natalie about in Act 1, Scene 7?

2. Describe the symbolic and metaphoric elements in Act 1, Scenes 10 and 11. What object becomes important in these scenes and why?

3. Describe the structural elements which stand out in the first scenes of Act 1. How is musical improvisation used as a literary technique?

4. What is symbolized in Gabe's comment "I own you," in Act 1, Scene 8? What is revealed in this scene regarding his character?

5. What is sung about and by whom in the songs "Who's Crazy" / "My Psychopharmacologist and I"?

6. What are Henry and Natalie doing in Act 1, Scene 4? Who watches them?

7. What is the song "I Miss the Mountains" metaphorical for? What does Diana do while singing it?

8. What does Dan sing about in the song "It's Gonna Be Good"? Where is he?

9. Describe the central themes in Next to Normal. What does the story of the play revolve around?

10. What is the subject and style of the song "Superboy and the Invisible Girl"? Who sings it?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and discuss the character of Henry in the narrative and the motif of drug use. How does Henry's character differ from the characters of the Goodman family?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the effects of double-casting in dramatic works. What effect does having Dr. Madden and Dr. Fine played by one actor create in the audience? Are other roles in the play double-cast?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the role of Gabe in Next to Normal. With what characters does Gabe interact and what is symbolized through Gabe's character?

(see the answer keys)

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