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. Flannery is always aware that she is a ______________.

2. Which is one of the first publications to pay Flannery for her writing?

3. Which of the following does Flannery have to manage in her life?

4. Why does Flannery not use paint brushes to paint?

5. To which of the following does Flannery NOT send letters in this section?

Short Essay Questions

1. What important note about Flannery does the editor include at the beginning of this section?

2. In the same letter to Cecil Dawkins, how does Flannery distinguish between the beliefs of Southerners and Liberals?

3. What is revealed about Flannery's lifestyle in this section?

4. What does Flannery mention about Celtic names in Georgia?

5. In what slang style does Flannery sometimes slip into in her letters?

6. What is the range of criticism and praise for Flannery's work when she releases WISE BLOOD?

7. Where did Flannery go after graduating college in 1945?

8. Why does Flannery say that Catharine Carver's decision to leave Harcourt Brace impacts her life?

9. What information about writing fundamentals does Flannery share in the first letters in this section?

10. How old was Flannery when her father died and where did the family live?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain the importance of the Introduction and Editorial Note in the book. What important parameters does it establish? What ideas does it introduce? Why did the editor feel it necessary to include this information? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Flannery O'Connor is famous for her use of grotesque characters in her fiction. From what you know about O'Connor from reading her letters, what would make her create such hideous creatures? What was her motive for bringing the unsavory to life? Did she get a perverse pleasure out of shocking people? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

O'Connor uses some instances of flashbacks in the letters in the form of memories and past experiences. Explain what a flashback is and cite at least two instances from the letters making sure to explain what makes each a flashback.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 858 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample