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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. Who is willing to lend Dick $1,000?

2. What happens after the noise of the party dies down?

3. What is the name of Parker's boat?

4. Where is Parker?

5. What seems to sexually arouse Elsie?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Dick justify the loss of his family's land by taking advantage of the relationships he has with wealthy people in the area?

2. How does Joxer's bad luck change the immediate future for more than himself?

3. What advice does May give Dick before leaving on the swordfish trip which will be filmed for Schuyler's documentary?

4. Compare and contrast Dick and Elsie's positions regarding legal activities.

5. What is revealed about Dick's leadership skills on the documentary trip?

6. How does Dick think May will respond if she ever finds out about his affair with Elsie?

7. What are the differences between how May and Elsie view Dick's boat project?

8. Explain Dick's thoughts as he begins to understand the complications of the drug smuggling situation with Parker.

9. How does the author use irony in the scenario on the dock with the cops and the drug-sniffing dog?

10. What is the premise of SPARTINA?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the overall setting for the novel. Why does Casey use the setting he does? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the characters?

Essay Topic 2

The role of women is a main topic addressed in this story. Explain the theme that extends through all the female characters. What is the presumed role of women in America during the 1980s? Explain by giving examples.

Essay Topic 3

Create a brief character study of May. What does she look like? What are her positive personality traits? What are some of her negative characteristics? What are her hopes and fears? What motivates her--if anything--at this point in her life?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,041 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample