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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Mother lay out for Father before he has to leave on his trip?

2. With what emotion does Father respond to Mother's statement in Section 5 about the old house?

3. What does Mother do when she sees the arrival at the farm?

4. What characteristic is Sammy trying to show as he speaks to his father in Section 5?

5. What direction does Father give about the arrival at the farm before he leaves for his trip?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay comparing and contrasting Father at the beginning of the story to the end of the story. Is he a true villain in the beginning, or is he simply going along with what was expected of men during that time? Do you respect his actions at the end? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay explaining if you think this story was meant to be controversial for the time in which it was written. Use the time in which the author was writing as compared to the time during which the story takes place to support your answers.

Essay Topic 3

The reader learns that the townspeople are gossiping about Mother's actions. Does the author mean this to be symbolism for something else? What is the symbolism behind the women talking about it in their homes and the men discussing it on the roads? What is the symbolism behind the men standing on the road awaiting Father's arrival?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 329 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample