View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Everett burn after he struggles to recapture his joy of reading in Book Five?

2. What does Natasha do after she receives Everett's letter in Book Six?

3. Why does Everett miss the message about Irwin's wedding and draft into the army?

4. Who is the mastermind of operation squeeze?

5. When Peter goes to visit Everett in Seattle on his way back to Harvard, where do they meet?

Short Essay Questions

1. What reason does Natasha give to Everett for not wanting to sleep after their coffee date in Book Four?

2. Why does Hugh go to Elder Babcock's house in Book Five?

3. How does Natasha respond to Everett's public debate with Dr. Gurtzner?

4. After going into hiding after burning his draft card, which event causes Everett to question his identity and value?

5. When Irwin is released from the hospital in Book Six, what is his condition?

6. What does Laura plan to do at church in Chapter 8, and what ends up happening instead?

7. What effect does Everett's glasses have upon his baseball game?

8. What secret about Linda does Bet reveal to Kincaid in Book Five?

9. What position does Ty Daniels and the rest of the Portland Tug team take towards Hugh when he throws his last wild pitch and leaves the team?

10. Why does Peter refuse to buy back his manuscripts in Book Five?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In the Brothers K, Duncan highlights several different strong female figures who go outside of the norm of typical gender roles of their time. Using at least two main characters from the novel, discuss what commentary Duncan is making about gender roles, particularly in regard to women in the United States.

Essay Topic 2

What is David James Duncan's writing style? Discuss both the mechanical aspect of his writing and his "voice" throughout the novel. Make sure to discuss what literary tools and devices he relies on most and what specific parts of the text reflect his voice.

Essay Topic 3

Duty is a theme throughout The Brothers K. Discuss three different characters' views of duty and how it is exhibited by their statements and actions. Based on these accounts of duty, does Duncan create an overarching definition of duty?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 855 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample