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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 is the name of Richard's airplane?

2. Richard says that each memory symbolizes ___________________.

3. Who is Richard's wife?

4. What was Richard's nickname as a boy?

5. What does Dickie aim at Richard in Richard's mind?

Short Essay Questions

1. What story does Richard tell Dickie about his friends, Mike and Jack, that lets Richard know that he and Dickie are a good team?

2. What does Richard want to do for Dickie and why will this be a daunting task?

3. Who is Dickie and what promise had Richard made to him long ago?

4. Why is Dickie sad about giving the memories to Richard?

5. Explain the metaphor of being captain of your own ship as Richard explains it to Dickie.

6. What does Dickie manage to teach to Richard even though Richard is providing instruction during the flight?

7. What role do angels play in Richard's life?

8. What does Richard tell Dickie are the two things necessary to get through life?

9. What is Richard's pattern for dealing with life's challenges, and how can Dickie possibly help him in this area?

10. Describe Dickie's sense of accomplishment in the water tower incident.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The theme of struggling with personal identity was an important one in this book. Describe how it extends through setting, character and issues and provide examples for each.

Essay Topic 2

Create a brief character study of Dickie. What did he look like? What were his positive personality traits? What were some of his negative characteristics? What were his hopes and fears? What were his primary interests and attitudes?

Essay Topic 3

Project into the future ten years after the end of the book and write a brief synopsis for the main characters' lives. Will Dickie still be such a presence in Richard's life? What will Richard be doing? Will Dickie age at all or will he be eternally nine years old?

(see the answer keys)

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