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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. What does "The Carpe Diem" refer to?

2. How old was Phil Crowther when he was martyred?

3. What is the age of Arthur Donovan listed as on his file that Laurie examines in Part Two?

4. What is the name of Melissa Hulbert's daughter?

5. What is the name of Holy Wayne's movement that Tom has joined in the beginning of the novel?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who is Meg Lomax? What doubts does this character face when she is introduced in Part Two?

2. What prevents Kevin from spending the night with Melissa in Part Two?

3. What are Nora Durst’s objectives in attending the social mixer in Part Two? Does she achieve these objectives?

4. What central metaphor is established through the narrative in Part One?

5. What game do Aimee and Jill play at Dmitri’s house in Part Two? What is the objective of the game?

6. What does Reverend Matt Jamison represent symbolically in the narrative?

7. Who is Wayne Gilchrest? Why has he been arrested in Part One?

8. Who is Aimee? How did Aimee come to live in the Garvey home?

9. How does Tom Garvey come to be the chaperone and caretaker for Christine?

10. How has Jill Garvey been affected by the Sudden Departure in Part One?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the narrative style of The Leftovers. From whose perspective is the story related? Is the narrator’s perspective omniscient or limited? Why do you think the author employs this narrative style? How would the story differ if it were related from a different perspective?

Essay Topic 2

What do you think Christine’s baby comes to symbolize in the end of the novel? Why has the baby been abandoned? Who abandoned it? Who discovers the baby? How does this discovery affect this character?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and analyze the character of Mark Henning in the narrative. How old is Henning? Where do Tom and Christine first meet him? What draws Henning to Tom and Christine? What leads him to his decision to go AWOL? Where does Henning intend to go instead?

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