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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. Who is the youngest child in the Herdman family?
2. What task does Mother say she could do "with one hand tied behind" (16) her back?
3. How does Father feel about attending the Christmas pageant?
4. What tactic does the narrator name as the best way to avoid contact with Imogene?
5. Where other people have hydrangeas in their yards, the Herdmans have what?
Short Essay Questions
1. What simile does the narrator use to describe the way in which the Herdman children move through Woodrow Wilson School?
2. Describe one particular instance of the author's use of humor and examine its effect on the reader.
3. For what purpose does the author go out of her way to portray the Herdman children as unteachable?
4. For what reason do the Herdman siblings believe they have found evidence proving Charlie's promises of food at church to be valid?
5. What evidence is presented in Chapter One regarding the dire nature of the Herdman family's financial situation?
6. What is the narrator's evidence for her claim that the "Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the the history of the world" (1)?
7. What is the symbolism of the Beware of Cat sign in the Herdmans' front yard?
8. What does Father say about the burning down of Fred Schneider's toolhouse?
9. For what reason does Father tell Mother he does not want to attend this year's Christmas pageant?
10. In what ways does the author employ hyperbole within Chapter One?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Look carefully at passages of the novel that describe the relationships among the various Herdman siblings. What is the author's purpose for portraying these family relationships within the narrative?
Essay Topic 2
What is the function of Mother’s character within the novel? Discuss the characterization methods used by the author in depicting Mother and include in your discussion the reasons that the author portrays the character in particular ways.
Essay Topic 3
How does the theme of forgiveness function within the novel and what is the author's message regarding this theme?
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This section contains 1,155 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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