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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. Where does Will keep his gun collection?

2. What item did Will get from a dying Union soldier?

3. How many farms does Will own?

4. Where does Will keep the watch until it is safe to deliver it?

5. How old is Lucy at the beginning of the novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did Will become famous for telling his war stories?

2. Who is Sal Smith and what role did he play in Will's life during the war?

3. Why did Will make the trip to Massachusetts to meet with Simon Utts' family?

4. How does Ned's mother react when Will visits her to talk about Ned's death?

5. What physical and emotional changes occur in Will after visiting the lake where Ned was killed?

6. What is Will's behavior at the site where Ned was killed?

7. Even though Lucy is younger than Will, how does she view him regarding his emotional war wounds?

8. Why is Lucy's wedding night especially difficult for Lucy on two levels?

9. Why does Will terminate Cassie?

10. Who was Ned Smythe and what was his role in Willie's life?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Gurganus' writing style. How is he different from other writers of his time? What are some of his characteristic writing techniques? Identify some examples of his classic style in OLDEST LIVING CONFEDERATE WIDOW TELLS ALL.

Essay Topic 2

Discuss whether Will was a victim of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. What are the symptoms of this disorder? What behaviors haunted Will for the rest of his life after his service in the Civil War? What do you think people called this disorder which was not formally recognized at this time?

Essay Topic 3

Create a brief character study of Will Marsden. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What motivates him during his lifetime?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 972 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample