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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 causes Hurstwood to become suicidal at times?

2. How does Carrie get a raise in pay at her first job in New York?

3. What does Carrie tell Hurstwood to do after a man comes to her flat demanding money?

4. What does Hurstwood do to avoid looking for work?

5. What is Hurstwood thinking about during his long train ride?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Carrie not get to spend any of Hurstwood's extra money on new clothing for herself?

2. What happens to Hurstwood's daughter at the end of the book?

3. How does Carrie feel about Mr. Ames when she first meets him?

4. Why does Carrie say she does not date after finding so much success on stage?

5. What shocking news does Hurstwood tell Carrie as they are fighting about his lack of a job?

6. What does Hurstwood do to help reduce costs when he stops looking for work?

7. What does Carrie realize as she talks with some of her friends from her first job in New York?

8. What does Carrie do after work to keep from having to go back to her flat?

9. Why is Carrie so surprised about being able to find a job so fast in New York?

10. Why is Carrie so confused when the grocer comes to her door demanding his bill be paid?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Fear is a common theme in this book that is presented a number of times by a number of characters. What are some of these instances, and how does fear affect the characters in the book?

Essay Topic 2

This play takes place in a few different settings. Describe some of these settings and how they affected the course of the plot. Why might Theodore Dreiser have chosen these particular places for this plot to take place?

Essay Topic 3

Sacrifice was a theme that was very prevalent in this book. Who were the characters most affected by this theme, and how did they allow sacrifice to change their lives?

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This section contains 658 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample