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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. What does Terri suggest Mel do to make himself feel better?

2. What is the old couple's prognosis?

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

4. Why does Mel's wife want this to happen to his ex-wife?

5. Where are the characters sitting for the duration of the story?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Mel feeling as he describes the old man's love, who senses this, and what is his or her response?

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

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

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

5. Does Terri think her ex-boyfriend loved her? Why?

6. What does Mel seem to require in order to feel comfortable about opening up to the other characters?

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

8. Why is Mel frustrated with the meaning of love?

9. Why does Terri scold Mel for being insensitive?

10. Where are the characters in the story from?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

Mel is a significant character in this story due to his monopolization of the conversation.

Part 1) Discuss the dynamics of Mel's character throughout the course of the story. Does he change much? Why or why not?

Part 2) Do the other characters in the story seem to like or dislike Mel? How can you tell?

Part 3) What are your opinions toward Mel by the end of the story? Do you like him or dislike him?

Essay Topic 3

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?

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