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 author did the hermit whose tooth Howard pulls attend college with, according to the narrator in Chapter 1?

2. Where did the hermit whose tooth Howard pulls attend college?

3. At what age did George retire?

4. Who built George's house?

5. On what day of the week does George run away from home in Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Howard witness George doing with a dead mouse in the woods in Chapter 2, Part 1?

2. What is ironic about George's role within his family, as illustrated in Chapter 2, Part 2?

3. How does George become injured when he witnesses his father's seizure in Chapter 2, Part 1?

4. How would you describe Kathleen's perspective in the story? What are Kathleen's feelings about her family?

5. What does George think about as he begins his chores on Monday in Chapter 2, Part 1? What does Howard think about?

6. How does the narrator describe George's attempt to make a memoir by cassette tape in Chapter 1?

7. What metaphor is illustrated through the descriptions of George's house in Chapter 1, Part 1?

8. How would you describe George's relationship to animals and nature based upon his actions in Chapter 2?

9. What "odd jobs" of Howard Crosby's are described in Chapter 1?

10. How is the setting described when George awakens "one hundred and thirty-two hours" before he dies in Chapter 1?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Analyze and discuss the character of Kathleen in Tinkers. How does George’s relationship with his mother differ from his relationship with his father? How is Kathleen’s attitude described by the narrator? What kind of relationship does Kathleen have with her husband?

Essay Topic 2

Examine the theme of family in Tinkers. What do you think the term “family” means to each of the following characters: Howard, George, and Reverend Crosby? What does “family” mean to the female characters in the novel? How would you describe George’s relationship with his family as he lays dying in the contemporary storyline?

Essay Topic 3

Describe and discuss the nonlinear aspects of Tinkers. When and where in the story does the narrative go back and forward through time? Why does the author make these abrupt shifts? Why do you think the author chooses not to delineate the transitions in the narrative and time period?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 919 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample