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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. Who is Howard Wendall?
2. What does Jules dream of when looking at maps and books?
3. Who is the first major character to be introduced?
4. Howard leaves Loretta and their children to go where?
5. Why is Bernard killed?
Short Essay Questions
1. What is the relationship between Samson Wendall and Jules?
2. How does Loretta feel about Howard's absence?
3. What happens to Bernard?
4. What happens to Loretta after Howard's death?
5. What is Betty's relationship with her family?
6. What happens when Loretta visits her father for the first time after her marriage?
7. Why does Maureen want to marry Jim?
8. What happens to Maureen after Howard's death?
9. What is the significance of the letters that Maureen writes?
10. Why does Loretta's family move away from Detroit?
Essay Topics
Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:
Essay Topic 1
The pronoun "them" is not only the title of the novel, but it is an idea alluded to many times throughout the story. What does the author mean by "them"? Who is she talking about? What point is she trying to convey by grouping so many different people under a single pronoun? What effect does the usage of this term have on your perception of the characters? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.
Essay Topic 2
When Howard dies, Jules struggles to remember anything about him, and knows only that he doesn't want to suffer the same fate with his own children. Why do you think this is so? Does Jules know why he feels this way about his father? Do you think he has a plan for how to avoid this fate with his children? What are some factors that contributed to Jules' lack of a relationship with his father? How might Jules remedy these problems with his own children? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.
Essay Topic 3
One of the literary techniques employed by the author is that of switching viewpoints between the characters. How effective is this technique? Why? What does it help to accomplish? Is there another, more effective way to accomplish the same result? If so, what is it? Did you like this style of writing? Why or why not? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.
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This section contains 779 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) |
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