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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 Ben instructed to take with him when he leaves the boarding house in Chapter 8?

2. Who comes to speak to Dud Rogers at the dump just as he is closing for the day?

3. Who is seen by several characters buying groceries at Milt Crossen's and lifting it with apparently no trouble?

4. What does this visitor do to Dud after he falls into some sort of trance?

5. Who is Matt Burke?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did Ben enter the Marsten House as a nine-year-old boy?

2. What is unusual about the format of Chapter 3?

3. What does the tall man drive more than forty miles to get every week?

4. Who becomes convinced that Danny's eyes are open in his coffin? What does he do about it?

5. What does Hank Peters see in the Marsten cellar that he discusses with Larry Crockett?

6. How does Susan know who Ben is when she sees him in the park? What does this tell the reader about Ben's career to this point?

7. What do Ben and Matt discuss over dinner in Chapter 7?

8. To whom does the boy make a confession?

9. Which of the brothers eventually arrives home? What condition is he in?

10. To whom does Ben give a speech about his writing career?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Susan Norton. Who is Susan? What is her education level? What is her relationship with her mother like? Why do Susan and her mother fight often through the course of the novel? What is Susan's relationship like with her father? How does this contrast with her relationship with her mother? Who is Susan dating when the novel begins? How does this relationship change through the course of the novel? Why? What does this change say about Susan's character?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss Father Callahan. What causes Father Callahan to drink to excess? Is Father Callahan unhappy in his profession? Explain. What does Father Callahan wish he could do rather than what he is doing? Does Father Callahan get this chance? How does he do? Why does Father Callahan believe Matt when he tells him about the vampires? Would one assume a priest would believe such a story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss symbolism. What does the crucifix symbolize in this novel? How is the crucifix used as a weapon against the vampires? Why does Ben's tongue depressor crucifix work against Mrs. Glick, but Father Callahan's crucifix does not work against Barlow? What does this say about Ben and Father Callahan? What does Marsten House symbolize in this novel? Why? What does the coffin symbolize?

(see the answer keys)

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