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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. Which of the following cities had Randolph not tried to mail a letter to a man named Pepe Alvarez?

2. What is the name of the company the truck driver in the opening scene works for?

3. Who does Joel encounter preening on the front porch after running into Zoo in Chapter 5?

4. What is the name of the proprietress who offers Joel a grape soda in Chapter 1?

5. What does the eccentric hermit that Joel meets delivering to Zoo in Chapter 5?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Joel react when Randolph whispers something to him in Chapter 4?

2. What does Joel believe led to his mother's death?

3. Why does Little Sunshine wish for Joel to come to his home?

4. What is the nature of Joel's first conversation with Florabel?

5. What happens at the Landing after Jesus Fever dies?

6. How is Joel's new room at Skully's Landing described?

7. How does Idabel react when Joel kisses her on the cheek?

8. Why do Idabel and Florabel fight over a dog named Henry?

9. How does Amy react to Joel's questions about his father in Chapter 2?

10. What does Joel find in the mailbox at the Landing at the end of Chapter 5?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The notion of religion appears to play a vital role in Joel's life at the Landing.

Part 1.) What role does religious traditions seem to play in the lives of characters like Zoo and Jesus Fever based on their services performed on Sundays?

Part 2.) What is telling of Joel's nature based on his reactions to religious traditions at the Landing?

Part 3.) What might the author be saying about religion based on his portrayal of the religious acts seen at the Landing?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author's portrayal of family in the book. What about the author's tendency to paint a flawed portrait of family in the book suggest about his own feelings towards the nature of familial bonds?

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast the characters Florabel and Idabel in the book. How might the author purposefully make Florabel overtly feminine in order to offset the masculine nature of Idabel?

(see the answer keys)

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