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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. Since Conrad had a dream about being confined, what can he no longer do peacefully?

2. Where did Karen and Conrad meet?

3. How long did Conrad spend in the hospital?

4. What does Conrad have trouble remembering?

5. As of the beginning of the novel, how long has Conrad been out of the hospital?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Cal want to get Conrad a car for Christmas?

2. Describe Cal's first appointment with Dr. Berger.

3. What are Conrad's feelings about getting a car for Christmas?

4. What does Conrad's dream of being confined in a tunnel represent?

5. Why does Conrad have trouble sleeping after his pop quiz in trigonometry class?

6. The morning that the novel starts, what things does Conrad wonder?

7. According to Conrad, how does Beth feel about him?

8. When Beth and Cal attend a dinner party in chapter 8, what does Beth get angry about?

9. How does chapter 13 represent a breakthrough for Conrad and his family?

10. How was attention called to Conrad's issues before he went to the mental hospital?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How is Conrad introduced? What elements does the author use to make Conrad seem realistic and likable?

Essay Topic 2

Conrad feels that he has lost his identity after Jordan dies because he feels as if he needs to make up for the loss of Jordan. How does loss of identity tie into the novel as a theme? Analyze the other characters who have lost their identity.

Essay Topic 3

Conrad is obsessed with not failing. The other characters also have fears. Analyze the fears of three different characters. Why are these fears significant to the progression of the novel? Do their fears become obsessions? Why or why not?

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