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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 the person in the picture on the mantle that Norman is studying?

2. Why didn't Norman pick any more berries?

3. What is Norman using to aid his activity in the opening of the scene?

4. What happened to Miss Appley last week?

5. How could Norman's memory best be described?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is the elderly couple in the play and where are they arriving at the opening of the play?

2. Give a brief description of the setting at the opening of the play.

3. How does the broken screen door come into play again and how does it give the reader a better understanding of Norman's character?

4. What other elderly couple is mentioned in this scene and what does Ethel say about them?

5. Who is Charlie and what is a little about his life and/or history?

6. What picture does Norman pick up and what is the story behind it?

7. Describe the setting at the opening of this scene.

8. Describe the interaction between Ethel and Norman in this scene and say what you think it may mean.

9. Another bit of conversation at the end of this scene is indicative of a recurrent theme of this play. Describe the conversation and briefly say what the theme is you think it is bringing up.

10. What does Charlie say about Chelsea and children and what does this possibly reveal about Charlie as a person?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Act 1, Scene 2 opens with some similarities to the opening of Act 1, Scene 1, but there are also some differences in the setting and initial actions of the characters. Answer the following questions in a coherent essay using detailed examples from the entire play:

1). What is similar about the opening of this scene as far as the setting is concerned?

2). What is different about the setting?

3). Do you think that when something is repeated in such a brief play, it is significant?

4). Ethel is again knocking on the door and again, Norman does not realize it is her knocking. Why do you think the author repeats this scenario, albeit slightly differently? What is significance of Ethel knocking expecting Norman to open the door? Is this a metaphor for their relationship?

Essay Topic 2

In Act 1, Scene 2 when Charlie comes inside, he knocks the screen door off its hinges and offers to help repair it, but Norman refuses his offer, just as Ethel refused Charlie's offer initially to fix the door.

Answer the following questions in a coherent essay using detailed examples from the entire play:

1). Why do you think Ethel refuses Charlie's help with the screen door?

2). Why do you think Norman refuses Charlie's help with the screen door?

3). Do you think the reasons they refuse are influenced by their gender?

Essay Topic 3

One of the very first things the reader becomes aware of is that a probable theme of this play is the idea of aging and its inherent problems. Answer the following questions in a coherent essay using detailed examples from the entire play:

1.) Who is most obviously failing, probably as a result of age?

2.) What is the main problem Norman is having at the opening of the play?

3.) How common is memory problems among people in their late 70s and older?

4.) Are there ways to combat memory problems? What are they?

(see the answer keys)

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