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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 Tom read in the waiting room of Dr. Lowenstein's office?

2. How does Tom characterize himself in relation to the other Wingo children?

3. What is the name of Tom's wife?

4. What does Lila teach her children to do?

5. What does Tom really think of Bernard?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Tom turn the tables on Bernard?

2. What does Luke pray for before his father leaves for Korea?

3. What is the topic of Savannah's poetry?

4. How does Lila react to the news of Tom's actions against Todd?

5. Why does Henry covert to Catholicism?

6. How does Tom explain the recording of Savannah's psychotic seizure?

7. How does the fury of the storm echo the plight of Lila Wingo?

8. What is one of the benefits of Tom's extraordinary childhood?

9. How does Lila react to Henry's buying a tiger?

10. Why doesn't Lila want the children to tell their father about the man called "Callanwolde"?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tom spends much of his narrative delving into the lives and experiences of his parents and even grandparents. In fact, Dr. Lowenstein is occasionally frustrated by Tom's refusal to speak exclusively about her patient, Savannah, but Tom persists that in speaking about these seemingly tangential anecdotes, he is in fact providing insight into Savannah's character. Consequently, each of the Wingo children are an amalgamation of various influences and traits of their parents and grandparents.

Choose ONE of the following Wingo children and examine their character in terms of the influences he or she exemplifies from the Wingo parents and/or grandparents (Henry, Lila, Tolitha, Amos). You may write about one of these character's exclusive influence on one of the Wingo children or you may discuss how several or even all of these characters influenced the lives and actions of one of the Wingo children.

A.) Tom.

B.) Savannah.

C.) Luke.

Essay Topic 2

There is one character in the novel who plays a very small but powerful role in the lives of the Wingos: the name known by the children as "Callanwolde." What do we know about this persona? What might he represent? What role does his presence play in the larger narrative?

Write an essay that explores this character and analyzes how he exemplifies the pain and trauma in the lives of the Wingo family. Be sure to make clear and specific references to the text as well as literary techniques (symbolism, imagery, figurative language, etc.) as you develop your response.

Essay Topic 3

Tom says that growing up as a Wingo taught him to survive. Savannah tends to disagree. Of the three Wingo children, which emerges the strongest? Whose character and psyche survive the trials and traumas of this dysfunctional family? Support your position with clear and logical evidence from the text.

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