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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. Homer tells Dr. Larch about the trip to the apple orchard, saying he'll be gone how long in Chapter 5?

2. What drug did Wilbur Larch begin taking regularly while in medical school?

3. What was the name of John Irving's first novel?

4. Unknown to Dr. Larch, Melony, and Homer, who lay dead in the woods in Chapter 5?

5. What is the name of the daughter that a high-society woman wants Dr. Larch to perform an abortion on in Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Dr. Larch decide to go when leaving Boston in Chapter 2? Who invites him to a party and why, in this chapter?

2. What does the exposition reveal about Dr. Larch's past in Chapter 1?

3. What does the character of Melony symbolize in Homer's life in Chapter 3?

4. In what ways does the character of Dr. Larch symbolize God? How is this illustrated in Chapter 3?

5. In what ways does Dr. Larch record the history of St. Cloud's as described in Chapter 1?

6. How does the author describe Wilbur Larch's early life in Chapter 2? What led to Wilbur's sexually transmitted disease?

7. Discuss the symbolism and foreshadowing in Chapter 4. What is foreshadowed by Candy's pregnancy?

8. Why does the prostitute's daughter come to Dr. Larch in Chapter 2?

9. Where does Wally invite Homer to go with him in Chapter 5?

10. How is Homer's first meeting with Candy and Wally described in Chapter 5?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe and analyze the character of Homer Wells in the narrative. How old is Homer when he is introduced in Chapter 1? When was Homer brought to the orphanage? How many times is Homer adopted and why do his adoptive parents bring him back to the orphanage?

Essay Topic 2

Define and discuss literary allusion and the novels "David Copperfield" and "Jane Eyre". What is symbolic in Dr. Larch choosing these novels to read to the children? What do these novels have in common? How do the orphans in the novel respond to these books?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of sexuality in the novel. How do Dr. Larch's first sexual experiences relate to those of Homer? How is sexuality perceived by the characters? What are the consequences of sexuality seen in the novel?

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