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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. How does John say he knows Carl at the jail in Chapter 9?

2. Why is Wallace surprised by in Chapter 7?

3. At the beginning of Chapter 12, who picks up John's prescription?

4. How old is Carl in the final passage of Taft?

5. Why can John not sleep in his bed in Chapter 7?

Short Essay Questions

1. When does Fay surprise Taft in Chapter 10?

2. How do Carl and John bond in Chapter 7?

3. How does Taft die in Chapter 12?

4. How is John shot in Chapter 11?

5. How does Carl explain his arrest in Chapter 9?

6. How does Marion's friend, the doctor, help John in Chapter 11?

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

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

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

10. Why is John deeply gladdened by his morning with Marion and Franklin in Chapter 11?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

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 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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