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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 is the narrator sent in April of 1942?

2. What is at a premium on the small coral island?

3. What was Joe's job before the war?

4. Attacking an already-bombed Japanese-held island is called _________________.

5. Why does Nellie call off her marriage to Emile?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the content of "The South Pacific" story?

2. Why does Tony Fry not get along well with Lt. Commander Charlesworth?

3. Who is Captain Samuel Kelley and for what is he responsible in the "Alligator" operation?

4. What is the condition of the men in the "Coral Sea" story?

5. Why is Nellie feeling particularly vulnerable?

6. Why does Joe face a court martial over the incident regarding mosquito netting?

7. Why are PT boats considered inadequate and what measures are put into place to help support them?

8. Who is Emile De Becque and what is Nellie's relationship to him?

9. Who is the woman who is the center of the story in "Our Heroine"?

10. Who is Dinah Culbert and what is her relationship to Bill Harbison?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Michener is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphors, and irony, briefly describe them and identify the technique which they embody.

Essay Topic 2

Explain the significance of the novel's title. What did the author mean by calling the book TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC? Cite an example to support your answer.

Essay Topic 3

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the story. Which of the characters are lonely? Are they all lonely in some way? Explain the loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

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