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 does Sandy say Lyman always dressed in after returning home?

2. What did Edith hang on the wall after her father's death?

3. How did Sandy feel about his mother's announcement in 1952?

4. How long does Sandy say the happiness continued after Lyman's return home?

5. When did Mavis decide it was time for her and Sandy to marry?

Short Essay Questions

1. What activities were Sandy, Mavis, Edith, and Lyman said to often do together?

2. What did Sandy fear would happen if Mavis held her baby?

3. Why did Edith call on Sandy in October of 1952?

4. In spite of his objections, what did Sandy do for his mother when she decided to remarry?

5. On the night of Lyman's return, what did he bring out from his suitcases?

6. How did Edith and Sandy feel about Lyman's return in 1961?

7. What worried Sandy about Mavis' first pregnancy?

8. Who were Clevis Stouffer and Twyla Thompson?

9. After John's death, what did Sandy and Leona argue about?

10. What did Mavis say about Edith and Lyman while on the Ferris Wheel?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the motif of family in the novel "The Tie That Binds." Discuss the Goodnoughs and the Roscoes. Are these families functional? Why or why not? What are some examples of familial relations?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss conflict in the novel "The Tie That Binds." What are some examples of conflict in the novel? How are these conflicts resolved? Do they have any lasting effects on the characters involved?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author of the novel "The Tie That Binds." What other works is Haruf known for? How do his other novels compare to "The Tie That Binds" in term of tone and style?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 734 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample