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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 reacts in a fit of rage when Stoner says he may enlist in the war?

2. How does Edith look at her child after she is born?

3. What does the protagonist's first English teacher expose about him in class?

4. Who tries to ease Stoner's anxiety when he is getting married?

5. What does Stoner do with his doctoral thesis when it is finished?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does William's father want him to study agriculture in college?

2. How is William and Lomax's conversation described at William's housewarming party?

3. How does William tell his parents about continuing to study English in college rather than agriculture?

4. How has Edith changed when she returns home from her father's funeral?

5. How do William and Edith buy their first house?

6. How do Edith's actions towards William change when she decides she wants a baby?

7. How is William's study of English described over the three years he studies at the University of Missouri?

8. How does William learn about the new agriculture program at the University of Missouri?

9. How is William described just before his wedding to Edith?

10. How are William's meetings with Finch and Masters first described in the book?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the theme of dedication that is portrayed in the book. Why does William show such dedication to Edith, especially during his relationship with Katherine, considering the turmoil and challenges he experiences in his home life? What is telling about his nature based on his dedication to his family?

Essay Topic 2

The concept of learning is one that brought much joy to the book's protagonist. Part 1.) What does learning represent to William and why is he so passionate about it? Part 2.) How does success and ambition hinder William's ability to learn and fulfill his love of knowledge? Part 3.) What role does learning have in better understanding and defining William's nature?

Essay Topic 3

The author often places emphasis on the concept of war in various parts of the book. Part 1.) Discuss Archer Sloane's views of the war and examine the impact it had on his psyche in the book. Part 2.) How does William's view of war change from World War I and World War II, and how does this mirror Sloane's feelings towards war? Part 3.) Considering this book was published during the Vietnam War, what message might the author be giving about war in his portrayal of it in the book?

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