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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 Dr. Schlesinger's decision at the end of Act 1, Scene 4?

2. How does Jim describe suicide to Dr. Bellman?

3. Why are many of the nurses away for the week?

4. What did the letter that Jim wrote indicate?

5. How many days have passed since the previous scene as the third scene in Act 1 begins?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does the time period in which the play was written have to do with why Jim felt the way that he did?

2. Why is the conversation between Jim and Ann in the beginning of Act 2, Scene 4 important?

3. Why is the conversation between Jim and Ann in Act 1, Scene 3 significant?

4. Who is Harry, what is he like, and how does Jim respond to him?

5. What does Jim challenge Grosberg about, and what does it represent in terms of the way the patients are viewed at the hospital?

6. Who is Gregory and what point does he make at the end of Act 2, Scene 1?

7. How might Harry be able to help Jim, and why doesn't he?

8. What does Ann do in the beginning of Act 3 that adds to her control over Jim?

9. How is Ann acting in Act 1, Scene 2, and what indication does she give the doctors about her intentions?

10. According to the doctors in the second scene of Act 3, how has Jim been behaving?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kramm uses various literary devices to make his points in The Shrike.

1) Identify and describe 3 examples of foreshadowing in the play.

2) Identify and describe 3 examples of symbolism in the play.

3) For the above examples, explain what they added to the play, and why the author choose to use them at those specific times.

Essay Topic 2

Describe Tom, his role in Ann's scheme, and 3 ways that he contributed to Jim's surrender. Why were they significant and what reason does the author have for waiting until the second to last act to make Tom appear?

Essay Topic 3

The other patients are used to contrast Jim's situation at different times during the play.

1) What are the most significant differences between Jim and the other patients? Why are those differences necessary to his position?

2) Describe the patients that you think are the most similar to Jim and the ones that are the most different. For each of them, what role do they play in the plot and the overall message?

(see the answer keys)

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