4. What literary technique does McCullers use when she addresses the ruined marriage between Amelia and Marvin and the future failed relationship between Amelia and Lymon.

5. What role does Amelia enjoy playing in the community?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the nature of the altercation between Martin and his wife, Emily?

2. What is the setting of the story and who are the characters introduced?

3. Explain the old man's "a tree, a rock, a cloud" system of learning to love.

4. How does Amelia react when Marvin moves into the house?

5. What does the old man tell the boy about the woman he had been married to?

6. Who is Cousin Lymon and how does he enter Amelia's life?

7. What happens to Marvin after Amelia kicks him out of the house?

8. What unusual event occurs on Marvin and Amelia's wedding night and how does Marvin try to salvage the situation?

9. How does Lymon try to ingratiate himself to Marvin?

10. How do Amelia and Marvin prepare for their big fight?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of Marvin Macy. What does he look like? What are his positive personality traits? What are some of his negative characteristics? What are his hopes and fears? What motivates her, if anything, at this point in her life?

Essay Topic 2

Prejudice and discrimination against people unlike you is a common thread in McCullers' stories. Cite two examples in this book and explain what you think McCullers was trying to say in each.

Essay Topic 3

The author uses more than one iteration on the motif of life-death-life. Identify at least two motifs about life-death-life in the book. Then cite an example to support each answer.

(see the answer keys)

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