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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Sharlene try to do when Russell forces the boys into his car?

2. What do Ike and Bobby tell Mrs. Stearns is the reason they have visited?

3. What does Harold say when Victoria goes back to Maggie's car?

4. What does Victoria think about after Dwayne leaves?

5. Why does Mrs. Stearns send Ike and Bobby to the store?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Plainsong belongs to the Post Modern genre. Discuss the following:

1. Define the literary term "genre" and give several examples of three other genres in addition to the Post Modern genre.

2. Discuss two reasons why it might be useful to label a text by genre and two reasons it might be disadvantageous to label a text by genre.

3. What do you think is the difference between a Mainstream novel and a Post Modern novel?

Essay Topic 2

We can infer that Victoria is accustomed to verbal abuse from her mother because she does not seem alarmed until her mother says she will kick Victoria out of the house. Prior to that, Victoria listened to her mother's abusive name calling as if it were a normal occurrence.

1. Do you think verbal fighting and name calling is abuse? Do you think it should be illegal for a parent to do that? Why or why not?

2. How do you think Victoria's mother's verbal abuse of her daughter affects her daughter? Use examples from the text to support your answer.

3. Why do you think a parent would kick a daughter out of the house is she became pregnant? Discuss what you would do if Victoria was your daughter.

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the following:

1. What do you think are the characteristics of a successful novel?

2. Analyze and discuss Plainsong based upon the criteria you decide upon in #1 and judge if Plainsong is a successful novel. Explain your rationale with specific examples.

3. Do you think the fact that Plainsong is primarily for entertainment changes the criteria upon which its success should be judged? Explain.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 432 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample