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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. As Andy gets ready to leave, what does Margaret Feltner say to him?

2. When Mat finds that Jack is dead, what is his reaction?

3. Why doesn't Jack recognize Andy?

4. After Ben's death, how did Jack view Mat?

5. What does Mat realize the Pettit's want?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happened after Jack found Ruth struggling to breathe?

2. What happens when Andy sees Jack right before he leaves?

3. What was the result of Jack's plans for Glad and Clara to take over the farm?

4. Why is Mat annoyed with the preacher during Jack's funeral?

5. What was Clara's life like after college?

6. What was Ruth's reaction when she discovered her husband's infidelities?

7. What happened to Ben not long after Jack paid him the money Jack borrowed from him?

8. What happens in Chapter Nine when Jack goes back to his room?

9. What kind of burial does Mat know Jack would have wanted to have?

10. Why does Wheeler go to Jack's farm?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Memory of Old Jack is a novel of historical fiction. Write an essay that explains what makes this novel historical fiction as opposed to simply fiction. Include a summary of the historical events and issues that this novel addresses.

Essay Topic 2

Most of the novel shows that Jack is fraught with regret about things in this life. As he reflects on his life, it is apparent that he is not particularly happy with it, though perhaps he is content. The climax of the novel involves Jack's death. This combination does not necessarily make for a cheerful uplifting, novel. Write an essay that addresses the entire mood of the novel. Was the mood intended to be depressing? Did you find the mood inspiring? How effective was the mood in proving the author's point?

Essay Topic 3

There are many times during Jack's recollections where he wishes things would have been different, and often, these events could have been dramatically changed if Jack had chosen to do something about the situation. Repeatedly, the reader sees that Jack is unwilling to do much to change those situations. Is Jack's unwillingness to actively change situations in his life just a matter of his personality, or does it have something to do with the way he was raised? Could this passive nature of Jack have to do with societal customs of the time in which he was living? Write an essay that addresses this topic.

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