View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who is shocked about the news that Hagar wants to kill Milkman?

2. Who picks up a rock and kills the white man where Macon and Pilate decide to sleep?

3. What is Guitar's advice to Milkman regarding his father?

4. Who is trying to fly at the start of the novel?

5. What does Milkman realize Guitar is?

Short Essay Questions

1. When Milkman is 31, what is he out doing before Christmas?

2. What is the job that First Corinthians takes?

3. What is the dream the Milkman has once Guitar leaves?

4. What does Circe reveal about Macon that Milkman does not already know?

5. To where does Robert Smith want to fly when he is standing on the roof of Mercy Hospital?

6. What is wrong with Mercy Hospital that it has been given a not-so-flattering nickname?

7. What is the setup of The Seven Days? How does it work?

8. Why does Milkman decide to travel to Danville?

9. Why don't Pilate and Macon stay in hiding for long?

10. What are some of the rules of The Seven Days?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The ongoing debate over nature vs. the ideals of society is one that plays out in this novel, especially with those in the Dead family.

Part 1 - Compare and contrast Pilate and Macon. How do they live and how does this relate to society?

Part 2 - Do you feel society plays a large role in the decisions we make or does our upbringing play a larger role? Why?

Part 3 - Does society cause us to be who we are or does family? Give examples from the book to support your answer.

Essay Topic 2

The idea of bad luck is one that runs through this novel, and culminates in Chapter 13, not coincidentally.

Part 1 - Describe the bad luck of Pilate and how it affects her in the novel.

Part 2 - Describe the bad luck of Reba and how it affects her in the novel.

Part 3 - Describe the back luck of Hagar and how it affects her in the novel.

Part 4 - List any other instances of bad luck you noticed in this novel.

Essay Topic 3

Gold seems to be the thing on many of the men's minds in this book. But while they are all unsuccessful, they still seem to long for that which they can not have.

Part 1 - Describe Macon's search for the gold in the story. What are his motivations for getting the gold?

Part 2 - Describe Milkman's quest for the gold in the story. What are his motivations?

Part 3 - Describe Guitar's quest for the gold. What are his motivations? What does it cause him to do? Why do you think he resorted to violence?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 713 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample