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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. The story opens with the word "prithee" (332). What does this word mean in this context?

2. What is implied by Mr. Coulson's mention of Palm Beach?

3. When Mr. Coulson complains about the cold, what is his servant's response?

4. What does Miss Coulson's believe about love?

5. When Mr. Coulson continues quoting the poem and mentions "a livelier iris," what does Mrs. Widdup think he is talking about? (333)

Short Essay Questions

1. How does O. Henry use verbal misunderstandings to characterize Mrs. Widdup when she first appears in Mr. Coulson's room?

2. What is the rhetorical purpose of the allusions to Puck and Circe?

3. What happens overnight that changes Mrs. Widdup and Mr. Coulson's fate?

4. Explain the technique at work in the sentences "Sparrows wrangled happily everywhere outdoors. Never trust May" (333).

5. What is the significance of the sound of the overturned chair after Mr. Coulson confesses his feelings to Mrs. Widdup?

6. Explain the titular allusion and the allusion to "the poet" in the first sentence of the story.

7. How does O. Henry characterize the month of May?

8. What rhetorical purposes does O. Henry accomplish with his introduction of Mr. Coulson through a list of things that he "has," like gout, money, and a daughter?

9. What is the thematic significance of the olfactory image of the city in springtime?

10. How do words like "yaller" and "lawsy" in Mrs. Widdup's dialogue characterize her?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay that makes and defends a thesis about the significance of social class in "The Marry Month of May." Be sure to offer textual support for your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Make and defend a claim about the purpose of O. Henry's allusions in "The Marry Month of May." Use both paraphrased and quoted textual evidence to support your claim.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay that compares and contrasts the themes and techniques used in Dekker's poem "The Merry Merry Month of May" with those of O. Henry's "The Marry Month of May." Use textual evidence from both pieces to defend your ideas.

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