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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 the novel gloss the term “chevry”?

2. Who leads the Afro-Cubans Moshe booked at his theatre?

3. At what time are the inhabitants of the ward where Dodo is held put to bed?

4. What kind of car does Fatty drive?

5. Who runs Lionel Hampton’s band?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why are members of a Jewish group in the novel called meat slabs?

2. What understanding of those institutionalized does Miggy report?

3. Why does Fatty turn to his cousin Gene for help with his dental needs?

4. Why does Fatty absent himself from Chona’s funeral?

5. What leads Fatty to be wary of Nate’s anger?

6. Why does Gus dislike Doc?

7. Why does Dodo assign Monkey Pants his sobriquet?

8. When does Nate note having heard the South Carolina State marching band?

9. What is the dominant occupation of the women of Chicken Hill?

10. For what is the site of the local Memorial Day festivities usually used?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Consider the ending of the novel. Does it satisfy? How or how not?

Essay Topic 2

To what other writer’s work in your experience does McBride’s seem most similar? What makes the writers similar? What differentiates them? Overall, which do you regard as doing better at the craft of writing, and why?

Essay Topic 3

To what genre other than historical fiction might The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store be considered to belong? What in the text supports that identification? How does it do so?

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