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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 is the name of Lanford's home?

2. Who is Ruth?

3. What is the name of the store that remains in Chapter 3?

4. Which of the following do Fort Niles and Courne Haven have in common?

5. What is the name of Lanford's yacht?

Short Essay Questions

1. How do mother and daughter greet one another in Chapter 5?

2. What do Ruth, Cal and Toby talk about while on the New Hope in Chapter 5?

3. Who is Ebbett Thomas?

4. What does Cal complain about when he finds Ruth in Chapter 5?

5. Who is Mary? What does the reader learn of Mary's past in Chapter 4?

6. Describe the funeral in Chapter 1.

7. How does Simon try to help Rhonda in Chapter 1?

8. Describe Ruth's birth.

9. What does Simon tell Rhonda not to do in Chapter 1? Why does he give her this advice?

10. Why does Ruth flee to Rhonda's in Chapter 5? What is Rhonda doing when Ruth arrives?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A theme of the novel is rich versus poor. Who represent the "rich" and who represents the "poor"? How do these two entities clash throughout the novel? How is Ruth caught between the two?

Essay Topic 2

What is a coming of age story? Is "Stern Men" a coming of age story? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Analyze the secondary characters of the novel. Who are they and what are their roles in the novel? Describe their relationships with Ruth.

(see the answer keys)

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