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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 does Brian believe people are doing instead of living more authentic lives?

2. How does Brian respond when he sees Beverly at the cottage?

3. What ends the tension between Beverly and Mark?

4. What profession does Brian have?

5. What caused Maggie and Steve to come to see Joe?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Mark doing before Brian took him in?

2. How does Joe feel about his life as he sits reminiscing with his wife?

3. What thoughts turn Maggie's fear into anger?

4. What happens when Brian tries to join Beverly in her dancing?

5. What admission does Maggie make to Joe about their son Steve?

6. What specifically about his illness has made Joe very angry?

7. What happens that leads Agnes to finally recognize that her mother is senile?

8. What is the main plot line of the play, The Shadow Box?

9. What did Agnes finally do to try and give her mother the will to live again?

10. What happens when the interviewer brings up these doubts and alternate ideas to Agnes?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What does Maggie's entry into the cottage symbolize? How have her views changed throughout the play? In what way does she show herself as a selfless person?

Essay Topic 2

How does the author demonstrate the theme of regret in the second act? How does this theme particularly affect Brian and Joe? Why do you believe it affects them more than Felicity?

Essay Topic 3

Throughout the play the stages of grief are exposed to the audience. What are the stages of grief? Describe how the characters show these stages in different ways? Do you believe everyone goes through these same stages? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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