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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 the uncle that the narrator and her mother visit in “Detroit Skyline, 1949”?

2. In what state do Mary Lou and her husband Mack live in “The Rookers”?

3. Where did Louise’s husband buy a cowboy hat before going away in “Still Life with Watermelon”?

4. Carolyn works as a sales clerk at what store in “Drawing Names”?

5. Who is the narrator in “Detroit Skyline, 1949”?

Short Essay Questions

1. How are the central characters in “The Rookers” similar to the central characters in “Shiloh”?

2. How does Linda respond when Cleo implies she’s old by saying “I’m not sixteen anymore” in “Old Things”?

3. Where is Louise Milsap’s husband in the beginning of “Still Life with Watermelon”? Why is he there?

4. What happens when Louise goes to meet with Mr. Priddle in “Still Life with Watermelon”?

5. How is Peggy Wilson described in “Still Life with Watermelon”? What is her relationship to Louise Milsap?

6. How is the character of Jim Walsh described in “Drawing Names”?

7. What gift did Mack make for Mary Lou for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary? How is this object described?

8. Why did the family agree to draw names for Christmas presents in “Drawing Names”?

9. What news does Cleo Watkins relate on the phone to her friend in the beginning of “Old Things”?

10. How long has Carolyn been divorced in “Drawing Names”? How has this impacted her family Christmas visits?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss narrative style of the story “Shiloh.” What is the person and tense of the narrative? Why do you think the author chose this narrative style? How does the author’s language style inform the reader about the characters?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the themes of identity, transition, and communication in “Offerings.” How does the author depict the communication between Sandra, her mother, and her grandmother in the story? What do each of these characters represent symbolically related to the theme of transition?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the setting of “Detroit Skyline, 1949.” What was Detroit’s population at this time? What setting does Peggy Jo live in with her family? How is this setting described in the narrative? How did the end of World War II impact Detroit and the surrounding communities?

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