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| Name: _________________________ | Period: ___________________ |
This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.
Short Answer Questions
1. Who does Boomer say is shot in the head while hanging a picture?
2. Why does Ellen Cherry need to work?
3. What "bomb" does Ellen Cherry get in the mail?
4. The only time we see Buddy at home, what is he doing that is unusual for him?
5. What happens to Spike Cohen?
Short Essay Questions
1. One of Abu Hadee's favorite quotes is "A shadow does not belong to the object that casts it." What do you think of the significance of this? How does it relate to the rest of the novel so far?
2. The first line in this section is "the pendulum swung yet again." It is referring to Can 'o Beans account of religious history. What does this suggest about religion?
3. Explain the symbolism of the I & I.
4. Describe the sculpture that Boomer is bringing to Jerusalem to reassemble.
5. Describe Turn Around Norman's Activity. How is it important in the novel?
6. When Ellen Cherry reflects on Boomer's fear that she loves art more than him, she admits that it's true, but adds that she loves art more than herself too. What does this tell us about Ellen Cherry and about her opinion of art?
7. Describe why Boomer says he feels guilty about his success as an artist.
8. What do we learn about Boomer Petway in the first few sections of the novel?
9. Why does Ellen Cherry give up her art?
10. What do you think is significant about the fact that Boomer and Ellen Cherry wake up Painted Stick and Conch Shell?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Explore the character of Turn Around Norman - if indeed we can call him a character. We certainly don't know much about him. We know that he is a street performer who moves in a circle so slowly that his motion can't be perceived. In this way, he mimics what we typically think of as inanimate objects. He is there every day to perform without fail, until Buddy basically pushes him out. Why does Ellen Cherry consider him the only real artist in New York City? Why do the objects become attached to him? Why do you think he's in this novel?
Essay Topic 2
Over the course of this novel, Ellen Cherry undergoes many personal changes. When we first meet her, she is an artist. Soon, however, she is married and struggling both with her art and her marriage. Ultimately, she seems to come to terms with both. How does she manage to do this? In what ways does Ellen Cherry change and grow as a person throughout the novel?
Essay Topic 3
Several ideas about art and the role of the artist are explored throughout the novel. Choose three characters and compare their ideas of art and the artist. In order to accomplish this, you have to define or characterize each character's theory or art. You may choose any character that you can develop a coherent theory of art for, but some of the more obvious choices are Ellen Cherry, Boomer, Ultima, and Buddy.
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This section contains 1,311 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) |
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