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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. Why does Mel hope his ex-wife will get injured?

2. How long has Nick been married?

3. How old is Laura?

4. What does Mel suggest after the story is interrupted?

5. What is Mel's ex-wife allergic to?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Nick respond when Mel says he would have liked a different profession?

2. How long have Nick and Laura been married in comparison to Terri and Mel?

3. What does the author seem to be saying about universal stages and phases of love?

4. What is the final conclusion about the meaning of love?

5. What does Mel hope will happen to his ex-wife and why?

6. What does the narrator hear at the end of the story, and why is this important?

7. Why does Terri hope that Marjorie will remarry or die?

8. Describe the setting at the end of the story.

9. Why does Terri scold Mel for being insensitive?

10. What description does the author give of Laura?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Symbolism is an important tool authors use to effectively communicate ideas and meanings to the reader. Identify one symbol Carver uses in his story and describe what it symbolizes. What purpose does it serve to have this particular symbol in the story?

Essay Topic 2

Authors often use setting, including the time of day, to communicate an important message about the story. The setting can have a significant impact on the tone and mood of a story.

Part 1) Discuss the clues Carver gives readers as to the time of day as the story unfolds.

Part 2) Why does Carver choose this particular time of day as a setting for a story about love?

Part 3) Pick a time of day (or night) different from the actual one in the story and discuss how the story would have been different had it been set during this time.

Essay Topic 3

Connotation and denotation help a reader understand the meaning of a particular word or concept. Define both connotation and denotation. Identify a word used by Carver in this story and define its denotation and possible connotations. In this specific story, how does the connotation of terms contribute to the reader's understanding of the work?

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This section contains 796 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample