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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. Whom does Eleanor meet while looking at paintings at the Art Institute?

2. To whom did Charley become engaged at Christmas?

3. When Janey and Moorehouse return to the United States in a private train car, with whom do they travel?

4. What does Charley do with the pills?

5. Who is the wealthy socialite that Eleanor starts to hang out with frequently?

Short Essay Questions

1. After Ward leaves Annabelle, where does he live, and what is life like there?

2. What is Eleanor's relationship with her father?

3. How does Mac act in a similar fashion in Mexico City as he did in California?

4. What does Eleanor do to conceal her upbringing?

5. What does Ward want in his line of work, and how does he achieve it?

6. How does Janey change when she lives in New York?

7. What does Charley do for work in Minneapolis when he moves there?

8. Why is Charley eager to leave Fargo?

9. What does Charley decide to do when the pregnancy is terminated?

10. Why does Eleanor befriend Miss Eliza Perkins?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Every main character in the 42nd Parallel (Janey, Mac, Ward, Eleanor, and Charley) wants to find a purpose in life and seeks meaning through self-expression. Which characters find purpose and direction to their lives and in what ways? Which characters do not achieve this? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

The 42nd Parallel was known as the major storm path across North America. The 42nd parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 42 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 42nd Parallel of latitude runs right through the heart of the United States. What do you think of John dos Passos' choice of title for the book? Is it appropriate? Explain. How does this title relate to the five characters of Fainy McCreary (Mac), Janey, J. Ward Moorehouse, Eleanor Stoddard, and Charley Anderson?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the role of women in the early part of the twentieth century when the women in the 42nd Parallel are living their lives. What precedents do they feel compelled to follow? What restrictions do they have? What freedoms do they have, if any, that 21st century women do not have?

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This section contains 975 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample