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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 is Lew?

2. How does Ginnie describe Selena's brother?

3. Who is Seymour Glass?

4. What room number is Muriel Glass staying in at the hotel?

5. Who kidnaps The Laughing Man?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Seymour hospitalized for?

2. What do Walt and Jimmy Jimmereeno have in common in the story Uncle Wiggly in Connecticut?

3. Why aren't there any men 'seen' in the story, Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut?

4. Why does Ginnie think Selena's brother looks goofy?

5. What does the reader learn about Muriel's mother during the "A Perfect Day for Bananafish" story?

6. What leads the reader to believe that tension is building throughout the story?

7. What clues is the reader given that Franklin is bitter about Joan?

8. What happens to the Laughing Man?

9. What does the floating red tissue represent in The Laughing Man?

10. What happens with Seymour and the trees?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In For Esme - With Love and Squalor, a young girl becomes a powerful leader in recovery for the narrator. Why is Esme able to be so helpful to a solider that is so adversely affected by the war? What simple acts help him most? Why isn't his family able to help as much as Esme? How does a 13-year-old that he meets one time leave such a lasting impression?

Essay Topic 2

What is the strongest theme in Nine Stories? Why does it leave such a lasting impression? Use specific examples from the book to explain your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

New York and Connecticut are widely used throughout the book. What generalizations can be made about each city after having read Nine Stories? Do you want to go to either place? Do you live in either place? Does the story collection make you want to visit either place? Use examples from the book to explain your answers.

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This section contains 898 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample