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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. According to Charley's new fiance, who is the father of her child?

2. Where did Charley work as a machinist's assistant?

3. Who is the nephew of one of the directors at Ward's new job with whom he socializes?

4. Who meets Eleanor and Eveline in New York?

5. When Ward marries and quits his job, he and his new wife hope for ________________________.

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What effect does the war have on Ward's relationship with Gertrude and his work?

3. What effect does Annabelle's decision to terminate her pregnancy have on Ward?

4. What does Ward want to achieve on his own without Annabelle's support?

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

6. After the play fails, how does Eleanor recover?

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

8. What does Eleanor do to conceal her upbringing?

9. Why does Gertrude threaten Ward with divorce, and what effect can this divorce have upon him?

10. What new relationships does Mac form in Mexico City?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The 42nd Parallel is written from the third-person point of view where the narrator is an outsider who can report only what he or she sees and hears. This narrator can tell us what is happening, but he cannot tell us the thoughts of the characters. This method allows the author to establish the setting and to supply background information to the reader about people, places, and events. Is this method effective? Why or why not? Would a first-person narrative be more or less appealing? Describe.

Essay Topic 2

Politics play a significant role throughout the entire book. In the 42nd Parallel, John dos Passos asks and sometimes offers occasional answers to big philosophical questions about the role and rights of workers in society, the equality of men and women, and important figures of the early 20th century. Do you find John dos Passos' arguments convincing? Why or why not? Do any of his characters show strong political opinions and, if so, about what? Describe.

Essay Topic 3

John Dos Passos offers a compelling narrative told in an unorthodox and experimental fashion using "Newsreels" with blaring headlines, autobiographical "Camera Eye" sections with poetic stream-of-consciousness, and "biographies" evoking emblematic historical figures like J.P. Morgan, Henry Ford, John Reed, Frank Lloyd Wright, Thorstein Veblen, and the Unknown Soldier. Do you find this style interesting to read? Are you able to follow the story line easily, or are these changes erratic and confusing for you as a reader? Does John dos Passos offer powerful storytelling that holds your attention? Explain.

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