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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 John, Marion and Franklin meet for breakfast in Chapter 8?

2. In Chapter 7, why does Fay want John to apologize to her?

3. Who immediately accosts John when he enters Muddy's in Chapter 11?

4. What do John and Fay eat for dinner in Chapter 9?

5. What is Carl doing for the first time in the Taft section of Chapter 8?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Wallace tell John about Carl in Chapter 8?

2. How do Ruth, Fay and Cyndi gang up on John at the beginning of Chapter 9?

3. What does Mrs. Woodmore request of John in Chapter 12?

4. When does Fay surprise Taft in Chapter 10?

5. What is John's catharsis at the end of Taft?

6. What does Fay ask John at dinner in Chapter 9?

7. Where does John go to recuperate in Chapter 12?

8. What confrontation do John and Carl have in Chapter 8?

9. What assessment does the mechanic in Chapter 10 make regarding Taft's car?

10. Why is Taft shaken by the site of Carl's accident in Chapter 10?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Romance in the novel is both a powerful force between characters and also one that is overcome by other types of love. Write an essay about the way romance is portrayed in "Taft". How does John Nickel fall in love with women in different and abandoned way? How do these romances fall apart? Discuss the motivations John has to leave the women that win his heart. What is more important to him in life?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout much of Ann Patchett's "Taft", John Nickel has to choose between his individual desires and his duty to family. Write a three-part essay about this continuous struggle, focusing on three moments when it became apparent to him:

Part 1) When John Nickel first met Marion Woodmoore, what did he want out of life? Discuss how these personal objectives lead to his leaving of Marion in her most vulnerable time. What has to occur in John's life before he can accept his responsibilities?

Part 2) Discuss John's sense of duty to Carl Taft. At what point does John determine he needs to protect Carl, and what is his logic? What trajectory does this take? How does John increasingly put himself in danger in protecting the boy?

Part 3) What sacrifice does Mrs. Woodmoore ask John Nickel to make in the final chapter of the novel? Why is this sacrifice difficult and why is it necessary? What indication is there at the end of Taft that John will make the sacrifice?

Essay Topic 3

The narratives of "Taft" take place in two towns: Memphis and Coalfield. In an essay, compare the way that these two towns are portrayed in the novel. What abstract ideas and movements are represented by the towns? How does Patchett forge a tone in the novel for each of these settings? Discuss the characters that come from each town. How are their objectives and values similar and different? Do they come into conflict?

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