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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. Why does Rex get upset about Maureen moving in with Lori?

2. What is Brian doing as he enters adolescence?

3. The Walls' parents refuse to accept help from their children. Why?

4. Where does Rex take Jeannette while her mother is gone in Part 3?

5. In Part 3, Jeannette and Lori make big plans to do what?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Rose Mary quit her job, and what is Jeannette's reaction?

2. Recount some of the events that demonstrate Maureen's difficulty in adapting to life as an adult.

3. Describe Rex and Rose Mary's living arrangements and lifestyle in New York.

4. What has the author found with her second husband that she did not have with her first?

5. What potentially dangerous situation does Rex put Jeannette in while her mother is out of town for training?

6. What are some of the reasons that the children do not like going to school in Welch?

7. How are Brian, Maureen, and Jeannette's ways of coping with their home life differ? What does each of them do?

8. What is Jeannette's reaction when a social worker comes to visit the home, and what does she tell her parents about it?

9. What are Jeannette's feelings towards her parents by the end of the book?

10. What are some examples of how the Walls parents fail to provide for their children's needs during this first year in Welch?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Although the Walls parents frequently put their children in dangerous situations, it is obvious that they do not believe that their philosophy of parenting is flawed. Discuss Rex and Rose Mary's philosophy of parenting.

1) How do they believe children should be treated? What do they think of as their responsibility as parents?

2) What do they consider the children's responsibilities within the family?

3) Give examples in which Rex or Rose Mary fail to act in a manner that would be considered responsible by most people. How do they justify their actions within the context of their philosophy of life?

Essay Topic 2

Throughout the book, Rex has difficulty holding a job and fully realizing his responsibilities, yet he does love his children and expresses it as best he can. Describe the dysfunctional yet caring relationship between this father and his children. Discuss examples of both times he failed his children, as well as and in which he was able to 'come through' or express his love for them in a meaningful way.

Essay Topic 3

The author's views of what is important and what will bring her happiness change throughout the book. Discuss how her ideas of a good life evolve from childhood into adulthood. Consider:

1) What things does Jeannette hope for as a child?

2) What is her life like as an adult, and is she happy?

3) Do Jeannette's values change throughout her life, or is she essentially the same person?

4) What does Jeannette ultimately decide that she has been looking for, and where does she find it?

(see the answer keys)

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