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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 was the name of the bridge that marked where Sandy, Mavis, Edith, and Lyman got into a car accident?

2. In what year did Mavis get pregnant for the first time?

3. What condition was Lyman in after the car accident?

4. What was Mavis' maiden name?

5. Toward the end of Chapter 9, what did Edith say she was looking forward to?

Short Essay Questions

1. What did Edith tell Lyman about the money she saved?

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

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

4. When Mavis decided it was time to get married, what did she tell Sandy to do?

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

6. When, where, and how did John die?

7. Who were Clevis Stouffer and Twyla Thompson?

8. Who did John arrange to lease the Goodnough land, and why?

9. Why does Sandy say he is not proud of the decade that followed his mother's remarriage?

10. What story does Sandy tell about the Wellrights?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the motif of understanding in the novel "The Tie That Binds." What are some examples of understanding in the novel? Why is understanding so important in regards to the themes of the novel?

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the passage of time throughout the novel "The Tie That Binds." How does Haruf depict the passage of time? How does the lengthy time period affect the reader's perception of the characters and the events that take place in the novel?

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This section contains 807 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample