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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. May does not approve of Ruby from the start, claiming what?

2. Ruby's mother was an alcoholic and fell asleep with Ruby where?

3. Why did Ruby do this to the chicken?

4. What does Ruth pick Daisy to be?

5. Why is Ruth's idea dropped?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when May, Ruby, and Ruth go to pick apples?

2. What does Ruth decide she and Ruby should do? How does this turn out? Why?

3. How did Ruby's father treat him?

4. How does May feel about Ruth's engagement to Ruby? Why? How is May appeased?

5. What job does Ruby finally get?

6. How do Ruth and Ruby feel at the birthing class?

7. Why does May's attitude toward Ruth begin to change?

8. Describe the time between Ruth and Ruby's marriage and when tension begins.

9. Describe the first few months after Justin's birth.

10. What does Ruth dream about doing? Why?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The household falls apart.

Part 1) Describe this destruction. What is the cause of this destruction?

Part 2) How do Ruth, Ruby, and May play a role in it's destruction?

Part 3) How different might their relationship have been if they had not lived together? Could it have been better? Why or why not? Could May's death have been prevented? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Tensions build in the Grey-Dahl household.

Part 1) How do tensions build at various times in the story? Why do they build? How does this tension affect the various characters?

Part 2) Is this tension worse at the end of the story? Why or why not? Could this tension have been relieved at any point? If so, how? If not, why not?

Part 3) How does tension help to move the plot along? How does it create action in this story?

Essay Topic 3

May is very controlling of Justin.

Part 1) Describe this controlling behavior. How does it compare to her behavior toward her children when they were young?

Part 2) Why does she act this way? Should she act this way? Why or why not?

Part 3) When have you tried to control a situation you were in? Why did you do this? How were you affected by this controlling behavior? How did your behavior affect others?

(see the answer keys)

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