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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 Henny leave her argument with Bert Anderson?

2. How does the narrator characterize the house Sam finds?

3. What is Jo's main concern regarding Bonnie?

4. Why does the Pollit family have to leave Georgetown?

5. How does Bert Anderson disappoint Henny?

Short Essay Questions

1. What leads up to Henny's death?

2. What news does Jo bring to the house?

3. What is Ernie's main concern, which has Sam so displeased?

4. How does Sam react to the birth of a new baby?

5. Describe the children's reaction to the marlin Sam brings home.

6. What does Sam do on account of Jo's news?

7. How does the topic of poetry figure in Sam's homecoming celebration?

8. How has the relationship between Sam and Henny changed by the time of Cathleen's eighteenth birthday?

9. Describe the atmosphere at the celebration for Sam's homecoming.

10. How does the new baby strain the Pollit household?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What is the role of religion and morality in 'The Man Who Loved Children'? Is the religion organized, or is it just implicit in Sam and Henny's codes of conduct?

Essay Topic 2

Describe the significance of the title, 'The Man Who Loved Children'. Is this ironic, and if so, what is the irony? What are the two--or more--perspectives--from which this title could be seen? What effect does this irony have on our reading of the book? What does it make us focus on? How would a different title change our sense of the book?

Essay Topic 3

Write an evaluative review of 'The Man Who Loved Children'. What is this book's place in culture? What are its uses? Who is its audience? What are its limitations?

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