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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. At one point Flannery writes that she is being called ___________________.

2. What fowl dish does Flannery's mother cook in this section?

3. What liquor does Flannery keep at home as a pain killer?

4. Which of the following is NOT a person mentioned as a recipient of Flannery's correspondence in this section?

5. Flannery's critics say that she _________________________.

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. What does Flannery write about the Ku Klux Klan and racism in a letter in this section?

4. How can a photo of Flannery falling with a bottle of liquor in her hand be misconstrued?

5. Who are some of the people to whom Flannery writes during this section?

6. Who are some of Flannery's earliest contacts?

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

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

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

10. What writing advice does Flannery give to Cecil Dawkins?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

A thread of isolation is an important one in Flannery's letters. How was Flannery isolated as a child? How is a writer's life one of solitude and isolation? How is Flannery's personal life also very isolated? Does she choose some of the distancing she experiences or is isolation inherent in a writer's complete life? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Prejudice and discrimination against Negroes is a common thread in O'Connor's stories. Given what you know about Flannery, what do you think is her personal opinion on racism? Why would she choose this topic to include in her stories? Is it because it is very much a part of her everyday life in mid-20th century rural Georgia? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

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.

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This section contains 840 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample