View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who wins the race back to the house at the end of the story, Down at the Dinghy?

2. What is the narrator's first assignment from Mr. Yoshoto?

3. What course do 60 American enlisted men take in the story, For Esme - With Love and Squalor?

4. What is the narrator's most traumatic move in the story, De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period?

5. Why does the narrator say he hates chairs?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why is Sandra so worried about Lionel when he runs away in Down at the Dinghy?

2. Why does the narrator and Bobby move back to New York nine years later?

3. How does Boo Boo handle Lionel's habit of running away?

4. Why does Bobby move the family to Paris in 1929?

5. Why is the narrator so taken by Esme?

6. Why does Lionel run away so often?

7. Why does Arthur call Lee in the first place of Pretty Mouth and Green my Eyes?

8. Why does Arthur think his marriage isn't working?

9. Why does Arthur call Lee back and pretend Joanie is finally home?

10. Why does Lionel cry when he throws the key chain overboard?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is Nine Stories an important collection of short stories? What does it contribute to American literary history?

Essay Topic 2

Lies and deception are used by several characters, including Arthur in Pretty Mouth and Green My Eyes and the narrator in De Daumier-Smith's Blue Period. Why does each character rely on lies and deceit? What do they hope to gain? What do they hope to avoid? What does it tell us about each character? What does each character have in common? What makes them different?

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 782 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample