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 Goolrick note about the young man in the glass room?

2. Why did brother's wife hate Goolrick?

3. What did Goolrick's godfather's wife bring to the family following Father's death?

4. What does the family pretend Mother is dying from, to avoid reality?

5. How long did Goolrick spend high, having random anonymous sexual encounters before he was suicidal?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Goolrick's parents as he describes them by the end of the chapter.

2. Describe mother's appearance.

3. Describe the event with mother's blue and green striped dress.

4. Describe how Goolrick's friend attempted suicide.

5. Describe how mother came to own a mink coat.

6. Describe Dodo.

7. Describe Goolrick's relationship with his male lover.

8. Describe how brother comes out of the coma.

9. Explain the young man who joins the ward while Goolrick is there.

10. Explain the situation when Teddy calls.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe, in detail, the life Goolrick had growing up. What was the environment like? What was society like? What were his parents, and how did they behave? What priorities did his family have? Do you think any of these things contributed to Goolrick's problems later in his life? How? Do you think his parents were solely responsible for his issues? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the following chapters / sections of the novel, and analyze it, in depth. What was it included in the book? What was the point of the section? What does the section discuss? How is this important to the overall themes presented in the novel?

- Aunt Dodo

- The volleyball match at the hospital

- The Cowboy Sandwich

Essay Topic 3

Compare and contrast Goolrick's parents at the height of their popularity with them at the end of their lives. How did they change, and why? What does this suggest about the role of alcohol in their decline? Do you think the changes in society also played a factor? Why or why not? How did their secret with Goolrick's molestation play a part in their decline?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,051 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample