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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. On which day of the week does Tender meet with his caseworker?

2. What do a lot of the Creedish Church members have issues with, including Tender?

3. What event would occur when God called the Creedish to save them from apocalypse?

4. Who does Tender meet in the cemetery?

5. Where has Tender deplaned all the other passengers of the flight he has hijacked?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is happening as the novel opens?

2. When Tender asks Fertility about the guy that she met in the cemetery, what thoughts and observations does she share about him?

3. What is Tender told about the outside world the night before he leaves the Creedish Church District, and who is the source of the information?

4. What did Tender Branson learn in school as a tender, and what rules is he supposed to follow in the outside world?

5. Why does Tender steal the flowers from the cemetery and what does he say he is doing with them when people ask?

6. How does Tender feel about the caseworker's death?

7. How does naming or rank work in the Creedish Church culture?

8. After the agent arranges to pick Tender up, what does Tender call Fertility from the plane to ask her and what is her response?

9. After Tender's first "date" with Fertility, he returns to his apartment and picks up the ringing phone, thinking it will be Fertility. Who is on the other end and what is the conversation between Tender and the caller?

10. What do Fertility and Tender do on their third date after they get off of the bus?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The author has an interesting approach to naming his characters. Discuss the significance of names in the novel. Include in your explanation the naming structure of the Creedish, the lack of names for the Creedish children, the lack of names for the caseworker and the agent and the irony of Fertility's name. What effect do these names, or lack thereof, have in the novel? Why did the author choose to name his characters in this manner?

Essay Topic 2

The idea of patterns seems to be an underlying theme in the novel. Both the agent and Fertility have explanations they tell Tender about how life is full of patterns, and you only have to pay attention to know what is going to happen next. Provide examples of the theme of patterns in the novel. Are Fertility and the agent right about their idea of patterns? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

This novel has a unique structure. Instead of starting at chapter 1 and ascending chronologically, the novel starts at chapter 47 and chronologically descends. The page numbers also descend, as the novel starts on page 289. What is the purpose of structuring the novel in this fashion? What effect does this have on the novel and on Tender Branson's story?

(see the answer keys)

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