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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. How is the preacher’s jacket described in “The Climber”?

2. What is Leroy’s last name in “Shiloh”?

3. According to the narrator in “The Rookers,” “Mack said old people gave him the creeps, the way they talked about” what?

4. Where does Mary Lou work periodically to help out with the bills in “The Rookers”?

5. How old is Petey described as in “The Climber”?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the central themes in the stories of Bobbie Ann Mason’s anthology?

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

3. How is Petey’s character described in “The Climber”?

4. What appointment is Dolores worried about in “The Climber”?

5. Why is the tree being removed in “The Climber”?

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

7. How is Sandra’s mother’s relationship with Grandmother Stamper described in “Offerings”?

8. What constitutes the basic plot line of “Shiloh”? What is the story essentially about?

9. How is the character of Peggy described in “Drawing Names”?

10. How is the journey to Detroit described in “Detroit Skyline, 1949”? How do Peggy Jo and her mother get there?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the setting of “Shiloh.” Where in Kentucky do Norma Jean and Leroy live? Why do they decide to go to Shiloh? How is this setting described? How does the setting of the story relate to the narrative?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the characters of Georgeann and Shelby Pickett in “The Retreat.” How do Georgeann and Shelby resemble the characters of “Shiloh” and “The Rookers”? What other characters in the collection can you see similarities to Georgeann and Shelby?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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