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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. What upsets Fay when she returns home from meeting with the funeral director?

2. What does Laurel overhear Fay saying to Judge?

3. Why can Judge not be moved?

4. What does Miss Adele say about death?

5. In Part 1, Chapter 3, what does Dr. Courtland say about Judge's eye?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Fay do when she sees the coffin?

2. Do you think Fay's behavior is appropriate in Chapter 2?

3. Describe Fay.

4. What story of her mother's does Laurel recall in Part 3, Chapter 4?

5. Where does Laurel expect her father to be buried?

6. In Chapter 2, what does Fay complain about while waiting for Judge to come out of surgery?

7. Why does Laurel end the argument?

8. Describe Judge and Fay's relationship as shown in Chapter 2.

9. Why does Laurel refuse to gossip about Fay?

10. What does the red paint on her father's desk represent to Laurel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Who is Phil? Why does Laurel think about him after the death of her father? What impact did his death have on Laurel? Why is Laurel more angry about his death, even after all this time, than that of her father? How has Phil's death defined Laurel's life?

Essay Topic 2

Grief is a theme of this novel. Discuss how grief effects each of the main characters, including Laurel, Fay, and Judge. How does grief change their thinking, their behaviors? How does it affect their choices?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Laurel's mother. How does Laurel feel about her mother? What kind of person does Laurel believe her mother was? Does Laurel admire her mother? Why or why not? What does Laurel think about her mother and father's relationship? How did this relationship define her father? Was this an accurate description?

(see the answer keys)

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