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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. How does Flannery describe her speed as a writer?

2. Which of the following is true about Flannery O'Connor?

3. What does Flannery tell Sally Fitzgerald about the people who work on her mother's farm?

4. What is Flannery's response when people get the titles of her books wrong?

5. What has emerged from the letters Flannery has written so far?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Flannery describe a teaching assignment to Cecil?

2. What does Flannery share with "A" about seeing her novel in print?

3. What is known about Flannery's romantic or personal life as revealed through her letters?

4. Explain Sally Fitzgerald's suggestion of why Flannery is working so diligently at this point in her life?

5. What is unusual about Flannery's friend, Louise's, visit to a doctor for the flu?

6. What fear about her book does Flannery share in a letter in this section?

7. How is Flannery's health as the year 1963 comes to a close?

8. How does Flannery say she reacted when seeing the scope of the changes on her manuscript?

9. What does Flannery write regarding faith and skepticism to Alfred Corn?

10. How does Flannery use sarcasm to congratulate a friend on winning a major book award?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

There is more than one instance of irony in the book. Cite at least two examples you can identify in the letters and note why they are examples of irony.

Essay Topic 2

Ancestry and Celtic heritage take on an almost human persona in the letters. What is the foundation of Flannery's placing such an emphasis on heritage? Is this a typical Southern trait? Or is this a writer's quirk? Or is this simply Flannery's appreciation of the people who had come before her? Explain your opinion.

Essay Topic 3

Select three people to whom Flannery wrote letters and write a brief character sketch for each. Be sure to include emotional states, physical characteristics, and their connections to Flannery.

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This section contains 963 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample