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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 type of day is Tommy having when a young girl comes into the store?

2. How does Tommy describe the girl's mother?

3. Where does the girl live who comes into the candy store to buy something?

4. What does Tommy see the girl steal on a Monday morning?

5. From where does Tommy have to get the things that a young girl wants to buy?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Tommy consider doing when he sees the girl stealing?

2. What does Tommy remember catching with his uncle Dom once?

3. What does Tommy remember doing with his Uncle Dom?

4. What are Tommy's thoughts when he brings the paper to the girl?

5. What type of day is Tommy having when a young girl comes into the store?

6. Why did a cop tell Tommy and Uncle Dom to throw back a lobster they caught, and why did they keep the lobster?

7. How does Tommy notice that the girl steals some candy bars?

8. What does a ten-year-old girl buy and why?

9. How is the girl different from other kids who come into the store?

10. How does Tommy compare the ten-year-old girl who comes to the store with her mother?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Accumulation is a literary device that allows an author to gather scattered ideas in a literary work and gradually build on information readers need to know. From whose perspective is The Prison told? How does Malamud use accumulation to advance the plot and provide readers with important details about Tommy and his life?

Essay Topic 2

Conflicts between characters are often caused by problems and are external conflicts. Conflicts can also be internal when a character has a conflict with himself or herself. Describe a couple of conflicts in the story and whether they are external or internal conflicts.

Essay Topic 3

In The Prison, Tommy is the only round or dynamic character. What is the importance of the other characters as flat or static characters? When there is conflict, what role do these characters play?

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This section contains 776 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample