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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 Harry say they should have taken up years ago?

2. What is Pru's surname?

3. What does Webb say does a marriage in?

4. What is the color of Thelma's bra?

5. What does Thelma suffer from?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do Nelson and Brew do at Slim's party?

2. Why does Harry have to go along with Bessie and Janice's idea to take on Nelson?

3. What does Janice tell Harry when they come back from the party?

4. Why does Nelson like Pru?

5. What does Harry think about as he runs through Brewer?

6. Why does Harry not talk to the Murketts and the Fosnachts at the wedding reception?

7. How does Pru injure herself?

8. What lie does Harry tell Charlie?

9. What happens when Harry tries to visit Ruth again in chapter 3?

10. How does Nelson react to his parents buying their own house?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose two of the following people and outline their influence on Rabbit's life:

1) His basketball coach

2) Ruth

3) Mim

4) Janice

Essay Topic 2

Write a 500-word essay revolving around one of the following statements:

1) John Updike celebrates American middle class life and presents Harry as having no conflict with being part of the middle classes, despite his working class background.

2) Even in middle-age Harry is emotionally immature and refuses to understand his son.

3) Nelson's relationship with Harry is too cliché to have any emotional impact on the reader.

Essay Topic 3

Examine the novel's chronological setting:

1) What were the main concerns during the 1980s? How does Updike express these concerns?

2) How would Updike change the novel if it was set in today's society?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 785 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample