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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 are Nona and the narrator heading?

2. What was Richard Pine's former name?

3. What happens to McCutchson?

4. What is the implication for George at the end of "Gramma"?

5. Who is Spike?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is an example of personification in the story "Beachworld"? How does it affect the story? Explain why you chose this example.

2. Identify a simile from "The Reaper's Image" and explain how the simile adds to the description.

3. "For Owen" seems oddly placed in this collection of stories. Why might King have placed a story about his young son in the midst of more savage and frightening ones?

4. Richard Pine is a man who has made his fortune as a surgeon with his hands, but the rest of his life has been shady and complicated. However, through it all, he protected his hands. How do you think he felt when his hands were the only things he had left, and he was faced with eating those for survival?

5. What is the significance of the opening in "The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands"?

6. What is an example of a metaphor used in "Beachworld" and what comparison is it trying to convey?

7. What do you think would be the worst part of being afflicted as Brower is in "The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands"? Use examples from the text to support your theory.

8. Henry encourages a writer who apparently believes in the whimsical creatures about which he writes. Henry begins the encouragement out of amusement and boredom. Do you think the resulting actions leading to the writer's death were what Henry expected to happen?

9. Rocky seems to be a bit of an intimidator himself. Though it is long past closing time, he coerces his friend into giving his car an inspection sticker. What do you think this says about Rocky?

10. Compare Henry and Reg and how their relationship affected them both.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Stephen King is most well-known for his horror novels and stories. The majority of the stories contained within "Skeleton Crew" are no exception. However, there are a few stories which do not fall within King's typical genre. What do you think King's purpose was in including these off-genre stories in a book that is obviously intended to be horror?

Essay Topic 2

Setting is often a major contributing factor to the mood of a story or novel. However, many of King's stories in this book do not stress setting as much as character. Are there any stories in which the setting is an important factor to the mood? If so, which ones and why? How does King use his characters rather than the setting to set the mood in his stories?

Essay Topic 3

Symbolism is the use of an object, character, figure, place, or color to represent an abstract idea or concept. Stephen King uses symbolism quite readily in his writing. Give three examples of symbolism in "Skeleton Crew" and describe how the use of those symbols makes the story more interesting.

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