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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. Where do the Woodmoores put John to sleep in Chapter 12?
2. In Chapter 9, Carl says he was arrested in the parking lot of what?
3. At the beginning of Chapter 11, what does Franklin say he wants to be when he grows up?
4. What does Fay ask of John at dinner in Chapter 9?
5. Who dances to the band's slow, elegiac song at Muddy's in Chapter 11?
Short Essay Questions
1. What do John and Franklin do together at the end of Chapter 8?
2. What assessment does the mechanic in Chapter 10 make regarding Taft's car?
3. How does Taft die in Chapter 12?
4. What confrontation do John and Carl have in Chapter 8?
5. Where does John go to recuperate in Chapter 12?
6. When does Fay surprise Taft in Chapter 10?
7. What does Mrs. Woodmore request of John in Chapter 12?
8. Describe Taft's interaction with Tommy Lawson's son in Chapter 10?
9. Why does Taft ask his children to stay home Friday night?
10. Describe John and Fay's interaction in Chapter 7.
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Over the course of the novel, Carl Taft appears to be a dangerous and dynamic character. The reader experiences him at many points in his life. Write a three-part essay about the trajectory Carl Taft takes over the course of the novel:
Part 1) What is Carl's life like before his father dies? Discuss what he values in life and what challenges he faces. What does his father do to keep him in line? What mistakes does he make in his adolescent years?
Part 2) Discuss the significance of Taft's death in Carl's life. How is his experience of this tragedy different from his sister's and mother's? What makes it more painful for him, and what significant collapse occurs in his character before he leaves Coalfield?
Part 3) How does the world of Memphis prove horribly detrimental to Carl's life? Discuss how bad habits and addiction become near-suicidal in the larger city? What is Carl's low point and how is he partially redeemed by the end of the novel?
Essay Topic 2
The novel of "Taft" has a major character's death at the center of its narrative, and the ramifications of this death serve as a dire warning to the other characters. Write an essay about death and the fear of death in "Taft". How does Taft's death ripple through the narrative of the novel? How does its effect confirm John's fears about Franklin? What does he worry will happen if he disappears from his son's life?
Essay Topic 3
Write an essay about the dark worldview that exists in the novel. Citing specific examples from the text, discuss in what respect the world of Taft is dangerous, particularly to children. How are the innocent in danger throughout the novel, and what misfortunes befall them? Focusing on Fay and Carl Taft, chart the way naïve figures face the world's challenges. How do these experiences reflect on the prospect of Franklin growing up without a father?
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This section contains 1,183 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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