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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 aided Lomax in engineering university policies to help Walker?

2. What does Stoner refuse to let anyone do during his questioning of Walker in his oral examination?

3. What does Lomax claim was the reason that Stoner was prejudiced against Walker?

4. Who is not present at Walker's oral examination?

5. What does Stoner come down with in Chapter XIV?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Lomax aid Charles Walker during his oral examinations?

2. How does Edith cause Grace to not be able to spend time with William as a child?

3. How does William's relationship with Edith change after he begins having an affair with Katherine?

4. How is William and Katherine's affair described at the beginning of Chapter XIII?

5. How does William react to Katherine Driscoll's presentation in his seminar?

6. How does Charles Walker arrive to his first class with William?

7. How is William able to get his preferred class schedule back from Lomax in Chapter XIV?

8. How is William's first out-of-body experience described in the book?

9. How does William react when Finch asks him if he wanted to be the new head of the English department?

10. How is William and Katherine's week away in the Ozarks described?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the concept of sympathy that is portrayed in the book. Why does the author portray characters like William, Charles, and Hollis as sympathetic? What might he wish for the reader to learn about the nature of this concept based on the portrayal of these characters?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the author's portrayal of marriage in the book. What does William wish to get out of being married despite showing little passion for anything besides his education? Does he feel it's just a duty he must fulfill to fit in or does he truly find love in Edith?

Essay Topic 3

The theme of death is one that is portrayed through many characters in the book including David Masters, Archer Sloane, and eventually William Stoner. Considering the evolution of death through these three characters, what might the author be saying about the nature of death and its impact on others?

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