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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 does Loretta do every night while waiting for Pat to come home?

2. What is Maureen's method of escape?

3. Why is Pat in jail?

4. What are the rumors circulating about Loretta at the beginning of the novel?

5. When Pat comes home after witnessing Maureen's actions, what does he do?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to Loretta after Howard's death?

2. Why is Jim re-evaluating his relationship with his current wife?

3. What happens to Loretta and Bernie?

4. What happens the night that Jules runs away and Loretta is frantic to find him?

5. What is Jules and Nadine's relationship like after their reunion?

6. What is Jules's living situation in Chapter 6 of the third book?

7. How does Jules get a rifle during the riot?

8. What happens to Jules in Tulsa?

9. What do Jules and Nadine end up doing in Chapter 5 of the second book?

10. What happens to Maureen as a result of her method of earning income?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Loretta doesn't understand why she has no connection with her children as adults. What do you think is the reason for the disconnect between them? Is there anything that Loretta could have done differently? Why does Loretta hypothesize that maybe she had the wrong children? Do you think she really believes this? Or is she simply trying to find a reason so she doesn't have to feel guilty? Do you think the disconnect is a result of Loretta's parenting, the family's situation, or a combination of the two? Why? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Several of the women in the novel turn to prostitution as a means for generating income. Why do you think this is so? Were there any other options for low-income women who wanted to better their situation? If so, what were they? If there were other options, why did they choose prostitution over the other options? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

One of the main themes of the novel is poverty. What role does poverty play in the lives of the characters? What situations might have been avoided if it were not for their poverty-stricken lifestyle? How did poverty affect the relationships between the main characters? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

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