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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. In 7th grade, Jeannette finds a sense of belonging by:

2. How do Jeannette's views of her parents' behavior change as she develops into a teenager?

3. Where does Maureen spend most of her time during her adolescence?

4. What event throws Rex and Rose Mary into homelessness?

5. What does Jeannette's mother reluctantly do to help keep the family together in Part 3?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why does Rose Mary decide to hang on to the diamond ring that the children find in the woods rather than selling it for much needed money? What does this say about her priorities?

3. What is Rex's mother, Erma, like, and how does she differ from Grandma Smith?

4. Why is Jeannette so interested in going to Ginnie Sue's house? What is her visit like?

5. How does Rex, despite all of his problems, show his devotion to Jeannette during her college years?

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

7. After the incident between the children and Erma, what does Jeannette begin to wonder about her father?

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

9. Why does the owner of the paper that Jeannette works for talk her out of taking a job at his newspaper?

10. Why do Rex and Rose Mary follow their children to New York City to live?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The relationship between the author and her parents is a very complex one. She is both fond of them and attempts to understand their behavior, and is shocked that they are able to be so childish and neglectful in providing for even the very basic needs of the children. Discuss this relationship with consideration to the following questions:

1) Discuss examples of the neglectful behavior described in the book. How are the parents negligent and how are the children able to get by in spite of this?

2) Relate examples of the positive experiences that the author has with each of her parents, and what she considers to be some of their positive characteristics.

Essay Topic 2

Money is not important to Rose Mary and Rex Walls, which is demonstrated throughout the book. Although it may sometimes appear that the couple's actions are somewhat amoral or selfish, they are actually living according to their own set of moral values that do not agree with those of society. What are the values of Rose Mary and Rex and how do they demonstrate them to both their children and the world? What is it that really matters to Rex and Rose Mary?

Essay Topic 3

Rex's alcoholism is a major theme in the memoir. Although he occasionally is able to stop drinking for a short time, inevitably he returns to it. What personality traits and aspects of his background seem to contribute to his tendency toward alcoholism?

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