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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 does Mel worry would happen in the locker room?

2. When do Lyla and Mel marry?

3. What does Mel believe about himself while in college?

4. What does Lyla go to school to earn?

5. What does Ted do after he becomes enraged at Mel?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Jim Morgan broaden White's understanding of God?

2. How does Mel try to avoid being discovered as being gay?

3. Whom does Mel consider himself a child of as far as religion is concerned?

4. What is Mel afraid to ask the young seminarian and why?

5. Describe Mel's relationship with Gordon H.

6. Where is White called to become the senior pastor, and what does Lyla do at the same church?

7. Why does White decide to go to Fuller Theological Seminary?

8. What do White and Lyla do when they return from their honeymoon?

9. Why does Mel think his grandmother Noni was so zealous?

10. How does Mel describe himself as an adolescent?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Though Stranger at the Gate is a non-fiction memoir, it has some of the characteristics of a bildungsroman. Discuss the following:

1. Define Bildungsroman, or "Coming of Age," and give several examples from literature you have read.

2. Trace and analyze the character of Mel as he changes from a rather naive boy to a more self aware man. What are the significant events that change Mel White?

3. After thoroughly analyzing Mel's growth, do you think Stranger at the Gate could be considered Mel's Coming of Age story? Why or why not?

4. Are there any other persons in Stranger at the Gate who go through a Coming of Age experience? Who? Why do you think so?

Essay Topic 2

Mel White writes of the bullying and suicide problems among homosexuals, especially gay boys and men. Discuss the following:

1. Why do you think homosexuals, especially males, are bullied? Do you think bullying of homosexuals (or anyone) is justified for any reason?

2. Do you know of any instances when a homosexual you know or know of has been bullied? Was anything done to remedy the situation? What? If not, what do you think should have been done?

3. Why do you think suicide is higher among young homosexuals than young people in general? Do you think anything can be done to change that? What?

4. Do you know any homosexual who has attempted or succeeded at suicide? Do you know the reason(s)?

Essay Topic 3

Stranger at the Gate is a memoir by Mel White. Discuss the following:

1. Define the word "genre" in the context of literary criticism.

2. Why do you think literature is categorized by genre?

3. Does it help to know how a book is categorized as to its genre before reading it? Explain.

4. Memoir used to be considered inferior to what are considered "the classics." Why do you think this is so? Do you believe a book such as Stranger at the Gate is inferior to something such as A Tale of Two Cities? Explain.

5. What is your favorite genre and why?

(see the answer keys)

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