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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 does Owen leave on Johnny's porch in an attempt at an apology?

2. What role does Owen cast himself as in the Christmas pageant?

3. Who does the person praying at the grave believe is speaking to them?

4. Fill in the blank to the children's playtime chant: "Last one _____ has to kiss Hester the Molester!"

5. What type of quarry does the Meany family own?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Johnny's cousins.

2. How does the Meany family make a living?

3. What does the audience see Johnny Wheelwright reading, as an adult, in Canada, and how does Johnny react?

4. Why do Owen and Mr. Morrison have a conversation?

5. Briefly explain this quote: "God has taken your mother. My hands were the instrument. God has taken my hands. I am God's instrument."

6. What changes does Owen make to the Christmas pageant once he becomes the director?

7. Why does Owen react so strongly to Johnny's opinion of his mother's death?

8. What does Owen mean when he tells Dan Needham that his play is lacking a "certain presence"?

9. What does Owen gift to Tabitha and Dan as a wedding gift?

10. What happens when Owen meets Johnny's cousins?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Hester Eastman plays the role of an important romantic interest for both Johnny and Owen. In an essay, compare/contrast young Hester Eastman with the adolescent Hester Eastman. What characteristics did the boys find attractive about her at both ages? How would you describe the relationships that Johnny and Owen had with Hester? How were they the same? How were they different? Which relationship seemed to make more sense? Even though there were deeply unhealthy behaviors in both, which relationship could you have seen lasting longer? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Organized religion plays a major role throughout the novel, creating both conflict and resolution. Choose one of the questions below as the focus for your essay, and support your answers with examples from the text.

1) Compare/contrast the upbringing that both Owen and Johnny had with organized religion. How did their upbringings affect how they acted, and how they viewed the differently situations they encountered throughout the novel?

2) Explore at least three major events in the novel where religious conflict is introduced. What is the significance of that conflict? How is religion used at that those points? Is religion used effectively to get a message across?

3) As an adult, Johnny wavers on whether he believes in religion. What events lead him toward religion, and what events have led him away?

Essay Topic 3

The novel takes places in a very important moment of American history. The Vietnam War becomes both a machine to progress the story as well as a catalyst for the behaviors of many characters. Why might John Irving have decided to set the novel in this time period? Was the war used as a machine to progress the story, or was there a deeper symbolic meaning to the time setting? Support your theory with examples from the text.

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