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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 Dr. Lowenstein's husband do for a living?

2. What is it about Henry Wingo that is difficult for Tom to reconcile?

3. How does Henry initially present himself to Lila?

4. Tom is correct in guessing that ______________.

5. What do we learn about Lila's father in Chapter Eleven?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the significance of the game Tom plays with his daughters?

2. Why does Tom suggest that football is a good thing for the unhappy Bernard?

3. How does the scene in the funeral parlor contrast with the rest of the Wingo childhood?

4. How do the Wingo children get revenge on the Newburys?

5. Why does Tom admit to hating both men and women equally?

6. How has coaching Bernard helped Tom?

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A theme and concern among many Southern writers is the collapse of the "Old South." William Faulkner, for example, dealt with this issue numerous times in his novels and short stories. Pat Conroy also seems to be making a statement about the South and its destruction through the traumatic events of the Wingo children.

Write a thematic essay in which you trace Conroy's treatment of the South and its collapse throughout the novel. Some questions to consider are: What seems to be the author's view of the South? How does he represent the South throughout his narrative? Does the end of the novel seem indicative of a resurrection of the Old South or are the traditions and ways of the past lost forever in the wake of progress and development?

Essay Topic 2

What role do racism and bigotry play in the novel? Discuss specific examples of racism and bigotry in the novel and how it affects the overall ideas presented in the narrative.

Essay Topic 3

A major idea in the novel is the concept of transformation. In fact, many of the characters in the novel undergo a transformation or reinvention throughout the course of the novel.

Choose ONE of the following characters and explore the details and significance of his or her transformation. Be sure to include specific and relevant evidence from the text as you develop your response.

A.) Tom.

B.) Savannah.

C.) Luke.

D.) Henry.

E.) Lila.

F.) Susan.

G.) Bernard.

(see the answer keys)

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