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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 White come to believe about his sexual orientation?

2. What is ACT-UP?

3. What does White end forever when he chooses to move?

4. What stories does White relate about gays who have tried to be "cured" of homosexuality.

5. Where does White want to move?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who was Michael Piazza, and what did he offer White?

2. Describe White's first meeting with Gary Nixon.

3. Who is R. J. Rushdoony? What is his view about homosexuality and White's thoughts about that?

4. What do Lyla and Mel finally do? How do the children respond?

5. Who does White help in the 1970s among the rising Christian political movement?

6. What happens one night when White becomes too stressed about his life? What does he do after that?

7. What does White say about attempts by gays to become heterosexual?

8. What group does Jerry Falwell form, and who influenced his founding of it?

9. What does the religious right try to push through in Oregon, and what does White do about it?

10. Describe White's experience with Tom Montgomery.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Many readers of fiction place themselves in the position of one character, wondering if they would do the same thing as that character. Discuss the following:

1. Do you think one of the values of literature is to serve as a reflection of oneself? Why or why not?

2. Socrates said "Know thyself." How can reading a book such as Stranger at the Gate help a reader to know him/herself? Do you find yourself reflecting on your own character and abilities when reading Stranger at the Gate? Why or why not.

3. Choose one specific incident in Stranger at the Gate to discuss and compare Mel's or Lyla's response to how you think you would respond.

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Most people are a mixture of admirable traits and character flaws, and both Mel White and Jerry Falwell are no exceptions.

1. Trace and analyze situations when White and Falwell each demonstrates his admirable traits. Give specific examples to illustrate your analysis.

2. Trace and analyze both White and Falwell's character flaws, and explain how the flaws create the conflicts in the book. How do you think either man's character flaws make some situations more difficult for him?

3. After analyzing each man's strengths and weaknesses, decide if each man is an appropriate "hero" of the story. Is there anyone else who might be a more admirable "hero"?

(see the answer keys)

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