View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Michelle say about Helen as Sabbath is telling his story?

2. What happened when Sabbath took vodka to the hospital where Roseanna was being treated?

3. In Part 7, which of the following items is Michelle wearing when she goes in to see Sabbath in Part 7?

4. According to what he tells Norman, what bothers Sabbath about his decision to leave New York?

5. What did Helen Trumbull (the girl whose breast Sabbath touched during one of his shows) tell the police officer who arrived to arrest Sabbath?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Roseanna do when she found out about the scandal that caused Sabbath to lose his job?

2. What was the scandal that caused Sabbath to lose his job at the college?

3. Who was Helen Trumbull?

4. How does Sabbath convince Michelle to have an affair with him?

5. What does Sabbath notice about his family's graves?

6. What story does Norman encourage Sabbath to tell Michelle at dinner?

7. What does Sabbath do after opening the box of Morty's possessions?

8. In Part 8, why does Sabbath go to the cemetery?

9. On the first night of his stay with the Cowans, why is Sabbath in such a good mood at dinner?

10. Why does Norman invite Sabbath to stay with him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the novel, most of what Sabbath says is framed as biting sarcasm. But how much truth underlies his type of "humor"? What is the author trying to accomplish by framing Sabbath's attitudes and comments in a sarcastic fashion? Is it to merely entertain the reader? Or is there other significance to that method? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Sabbath has been married twice: to Nikki, and then to Roseanna. What qualities do his two wives have in common? What attracted them to Sabbath? What attracted Sabbath to them? Why did Sabbath choose to marry them, despite the fact that he seems incapable of love? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

A detailed account is given of the reasons why Sabbath and his wife, Roseanna, hate each other. How has their relationship changed since it began? Why? Why has neither of them left the other considering the state of their relationship? Sabbath thinks that he can make things right with Roseanna by showing her some affection. Do you agree? Why or why not? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,000 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample