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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. Where is Joy's husband?

2. What do Lewis and Joy talk about?

3. What is the name of Joy's son?

4. What does Warnie prod Joy about?

5. It is revealed that Joy is what?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the doctor tell Lewis? What mood is Joy in at this time? What do Joy and Lewis discuss?

2. How do the four men feel about Joy's condition and her improvement? How do they handle the news that Joy is improving?

3. What does Lewis ask Douglas about that Douglas doesn't respond to? What does Douglas' lack of response say about the situation?

4. What do Warnie and Harrington discuss in this scene? What does Riley add to the conversation?

5. What is Joy's homecoming like? What activities does the family engage in?

6. What does Warnie do after the ceremony is over? Why does he do this?

7. What topic does Lewis discuss as the scene opens? What does he reveal to the audience?

8. What does Lewis tell Douglas? What does Douglas ask?

9. What is Warnie concerned about as the scene opens? Why is he concerned about this?

10. Where does the scene open? What is happening? Why is the event happening at this office?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare and contrast Lewis and Warnie's impressions and feelings about Joy in the first act of the play. How to the two men see Joy? How do their feelings change and evolve about Joy through the play?

Essay Topic 2

In several sections of the play, Lewis appears to be giving a lecture to the audience. What topics does Lewis talk about in these monologues? Why do you think the author of the play included these sections? What purpose do they have in the play?

Essay Topic 3

In the first scene of the play, Lewis describes what is meant by "Shadowlands." What definition does he give to this term? Why do you think the play is titled by this? What meaning does the play give us for what the Shadowlands are?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 850 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample