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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. What side job did Rose do in order to pay her rent?

2. What is happening in "A Subject of Childhood" when Faith's "heart lit up in stripes" (96)?

3. Which character does Jerry describe as shrewd in "Come on, Ye Sons of Art"?

4. Who was sent to the Hospital for the Insane on Welfare Island in "Debts"?

5. What is John's relationship to Dolly?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe the young boys from "Gloomy Tune."

2. In "An Irrevocable Diameter," what deal does Charles make with Cindy's family in exchange for withdrawing charges? What is their life like after?

3. Why does Josie tell Liz she should be the one making Browny breakfast? How does Liz react to this?

4. What does Clifford say to Faith in "A Subject of Childhood" which angers her? How does she react?

5. What did Rose tell Vlashkin about his book, The Jewish Actor Abroad? How did he react?

6. What do Jerry and Kitty discuss in "Come On, Ye Sons of Art"? What does Jerry tell Kitty when she asks what she would do without him?

7. What is the only thing the narrator says she ever wanted in "Wants"? What does she do in the story that she feels is a sign change is possible?

8. Describe John and his mother Dolly's relationship in "Distance." What details show you what their relationship is like?

9. Why is Shirley's mother uncomfortable about her performing in her school's Christmas play? What theme does Shirley note in the play?

10. In "Faith in a Tree," why was Faith put on a commercial airline as a baby? What does she think of this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Choose one story and write an essay examining the ending. How did the ending fit into the storyline? Do you think the ending was effective? What theme might the ending represent? What might the author have done differently?

Essay Topic 2

Choose two stories and write an essay analyzing narrative voice in Paley of The Collected Stories of Grace Paley. Include thoughts on how the narrative voice of the story is effective in conveying the story’s themes.

Essay Topic 3

Choose one story and discuss elements of the narrative structure: Exposition, conflict, complication, climax, resolution and conclusion. Do all the elements make for a logical and linear story? How does the story's structure express the story's themes?

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