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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 had Ruth hoped of her first sexual partner?

2. What nickname does Stan earn after the end of the war?

3. What is Owney a natural at?

4. Why does Stan ask about Ruth's plans in Chapter 12?

5. What does Ruth sell for $22,000?

Short Essay Questions

1. What strange news circulates about Lanford in Chapter 12?

2. How did Stan and Angus become estranged for eight months?

3. Why is Kitty so out of sorts in Chapter 12?

4. What does Rhonda and Mary hope for Ruth and her future?

5. Where do Ruth and Owney go in Chapter 11?

6. What does Owney want to be when he is older?

7. What happens at the end of Chapter 11?

8. What is Ruth doing for a living in the Epilogue?

9. Describe the second, third and fourth lobster wars.

10. What do Ruth and Owney do in Chapter 11?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe Ruth's dreams and why she desires them. What is the connection between Ruth's dreams and ambitions and the setting of the novel? What obstacles might have prevented Ruth from achieving her dreams?

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

Discuss the motif of separation in the novel "Stern Men". Who is separated from one another in the novel? How do these separations impact the relationships of the characters involved? Who is Ruth separated from in the novel? How does she feel about this separation and how does it impact her?

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