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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. Where does Tony remember an uncle used to take him?

2. What does Tommy keep in the back that he has to keep most kids from?

3. How old is the girl who comes into the store?

4. How long has the girl been coming to the store regularly for the same thing?

5. What time of day does Tommy remember he caught a lobster?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Backstories are used to present information about events that happened before situations in a story. How do backstories provide insight into Tommy’s life? What is the importance of backstories in The Prison?

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

Malamud’s short story is titled The Prison. How does the title of the short story reveal the themes of imprisonment, entrapment, and confinement?

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