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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. Why does Ginnie need money before Monday?

2. Who is Joan?

3. What does Seymour wear to the beach?

4. How is Seymour pushing Sybil in the water?

5. What does the Chief drive?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to the Laughing Man?

2. Why does Ginnie suddenly forgive Selena's debt?

3. Why can the reader sympathize with Eloise more than envy her?

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

5. Who is the Chief?

6. Why is the reader uncertain whether Seymour is going to shoot himself, Muriel or both when he grabs the pistol out of the suitcase?

7. Why does Muriel insist that Seymour isn't capable of harmful actions?

8. Who speaks the most during the story, Just Before the War with the Eskimos, and from who's point of view is the story told?

9. What is the issue with the book Seymour gives Muriel?

10. What does Franklin do to make Ginnie look at him in a positive light?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss irony as a theme throughout the Nine Stories collection. How is it used to create suspense, power and other emotions that are meant to draw the reader into the stories?

Essay Topic 2

Why is Eloise so consumed by her daughter's imaginary friends in the story, Uncle Wiggily in Connecticut? Why is she so eager for the imaginary friends to go away? Why are both imaginary friends male? Does that affect Eloise's hatred of them? Use examples from the story to explain your answers.

Essay Topic 3

Dialogue is used heavily throughout the book. Cite examples of the use of dialogue that are especially memorable. Why is dialogue so important to this short story collection? How does it help the reader? What does dialogue keep from the reader?

(see the answer keys)

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