View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. When Mother joins him outside after she cleans up the dinner dishes following his return to the farm, what does she notice about Father?

2. Who watches Father as he embarks on his trip?

3. What does Father say when he sees the events that have taken place on the farm during his absence?

4. What do some of the people think about the gossip news in Section 4?

5. As Father approaches the farm after his trip, what are Nanny and Sammy doing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write about the social convention of the way women were viewed during this time in, as portrayed in this essay. Why do you think the author wrote this story with regard to the way women were viewed? What was the author's point in writing this short story? Was she trying to effect change or simply providing a humorous look at marriage?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 374 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample