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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. Which character claims that no one really knows about love, because "everyone is really just a beginner"?

2. Who is the narrator?

3. What is in the spilled glass?

4. Who does Mel wish to talk with on the phone?

5. Who reminds Mel that it is for the best that he has his current profession?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Mel and Laura's relationship.

2. What is the attitude of the other characters in the story as Mel becomes drunk?

3. Which character is the most likable and why?

4. Describe the interaction between Laura and Terri in the closing scene.

5. What does Mel think about the cause of the old man's depression?

6. What effect does alcohol have on the characters' conversation about real love?

7. How is a sense of repressed hostility presented in the story?

8. Describe the characters' response to Mel's revelation that real love does exist.

9. Who is the dominant character in Carver's story, and how do you know?

10. How is Mel's discussion of love similar to his profession?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Narration refers to the method the author uses to communicate the story to readers. From what type of viewpoint is this story narrated? Discuss the advantages and drawbacks of presenting a story from this viewpoint.

Essay Topic 2

Distinguish between tone and mood as used in literature, and then compare and contrast the tone and mood of Carver's story.

Essay Topic 3

Characterization refers to the description the author gives of the character's appearance, actions, and thoughts. Discuss the characterization of at least one of the main characters in this story. What could Carver have included that would have enriched the reader's experience of that particular character?

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