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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 does Carl make hitchhikers think?
2. What does Willard tells Arvin when Willard comes to the clearing?
3. What does Willard decide he is going to do after watching his father?
4. Where does Willard put the animal carcasses?
5. Why is Willard's mother relieved at what she learns about Roy?
Short Essay Questions
1. About what does Deputy Sheriff Bodecker fantasize?
2. What happens when Arvin turns ten and how does Willard plan to fix it?
3. How does Carl convince young men to have sex with Sandy and what does Carl do after they have sex?
4. What does Willard do one day that greatly upsets Arvin?
5. What does Willard do after Charlotte's funeral?
6. Where is Arvin joining his father?
7. Where is Willard going and what is he thinking about as he travels in Chapter 1?
8. How does Roy end up killing Helen?
9. What happens one night when Willard wakes Arvin?
10. What does Willard confess to Emma and what is Emma's reaction?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
Discuss the following:
1. What is a plot? What are the most important elements of a plot and their definition? Do all novels have a plot? Why or why not?
2. Write a brief synopsis of the plot of "The Devil All the Time", identifying where the various elements of the plot occur (Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution or denouement). Do you find it difficult to identify the plot? Why or why not? What about the various elements of the plot?
3. Identify the major sub-plots and their elements in The Devil All the Time. (The subplots may not contain every element of a major plot). Do the sub-plots add to the main plot? Why or why not. Are the sub-plots interesting in and of themselves? Why or why not?
Essay Topic 2
Often, authors will write about "what they know," and sometimes knowing a little about the author makes the books more interesting. Discuss the following:
1. Research and give a brief biographical sketch of Donald Ray Pollock.
2. What in Pollock's background may have helped him in writing "The Devil All the Time"? What may have influenced the way he depicts various characters and scenes?
3. Do you think there is always some of the author's own life in his/her novels? Why or why not? Give examples.
Essay Topic 3
Willard's killing of Dunlap and the apparent spilling of his blood, is a grotesque reiteration of the narrative's emphasis on violence - another motif. It can also be seen as tying in with the two lessons Willard gave Arvin in the prologue of what Willard sees as standing up for himself and how he clearly chooses his time to do so quite carefully.
1. What do you think the author is saying about violence in this work? Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.
2. Discuss Willard in light of his belief that the sacrifice of animals, and then a human, would restore his wife to health. Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.
3. How do you think the two lessons Arvin received from Willard affected Arvin's life? Use examples from your life and the text to support your answer.
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This section contains 1,099 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) |
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