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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. How long has Augustus Brine gone without catching a fish?

2. Why is Robert fired from his supermarket position?

3. What is the group Rachel head's named?

4. What happened to Rachel's first husband?

5. What treat does Effrom give himself on the morning his wife is absent?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Rachel as a child, and her marriage to Merle Henderson.

2. Describe Travis and Jennifer's dinner date.

3. What leads up to Jennifer's acceptance of Travis' offer for a date?

4. How does Catch trick Rachel into helping him? Why does this trick work so effectively?

5. Describe the ingredients Jennifer places into her water, noting what these ingredients can do with sunlight.

6. Explain The Breeze's trip through the tunnel of eternity.

7. What is the first event that led Robert to believe miraculous events always arise to help him out of problems?

8. Explain what Billy does to become Roxanne.

9. Describe the health and body of Mavis.

10. The Breeze spends much of Chapter 1 feeling sorry for himself. Do you believe the Breeze is entitled to sympathy?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Drugs and alcohol abuse play a vital role in the novel as the downfalls of many characters in the novel. Choose to analyze the role either drugs or alcohol play in the novel. Explain, in depth, how the use of this substance leads to the demise of characters, and how, if at all, this substance is used by others in the novel without dire consequences.

Essay Topic 2

Billy's current belief and Jennifer's old belief in how women should look and act represent two very different opinions about women that exist in the world. In Billy's case, he, as Roxanne, enjoys being a highly sexual being whose looks are sexy to men, and whose words entice them into frenzy. He clearly believes women are sexual objects to be used for the pleasure of me. On the other hand, Jennifer, before Travis, believed women were natural, and were meant to be powerful on their own, without the appeal of men. Choose the character which most closely fits your opinion of the role of women, and analyze your opinions. Why do you believe this character represents women? What characteristics are representative? Do you think this is the way society views women, as well? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the novel, the lives of the characters prove to be connected in ways they do not understand. Amanda and Travis are connected through their night on the train, Nailsworth is involved with Roxanne, who is Billy, who has been eaten by Catch, and so forth. Rivera is asked to check on Roxanne, and is connected with Robert and The Breeze through an impending drug bust. This interconnectedness appears to suggest an order for the universe, which is in direct contrast to Augustus' belief in chaos.

Using examples from the book, explain which view of the universe you believe the novel represents. Are the situations in the novel chaotic in nature, or based on an orderly undercurrent? Why do you believe this is the case? What does this say about the author's view of the universe? Does this coincide with the religious undertones of the novel? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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