View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What color are the things the girl wants to buy who comes to the store?

2. Why does Tommy have tears in his eyes after he catches the girl stealing?

3. How much does the girl give Tommy for the things she buys?

4. How long was the lobster Tommy caught?

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

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Tommy’s marriage to Rosa was arranged by their parents. How and why was Tommy’s marriage arranged with Rosa?

Essay Topic 2

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 3

Setting is the place and time where a narrative takes place. What is the setting in The Prison? How does the setting evoke feelings or set the mood in the story?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 781 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample