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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 metaphor does Miller use to describe the role of elders in transferring information to the next generation?

2. What kind of class does Miller attend at church in Oregon?

3. Miller suggests that submission to God's will allows God to do what for humans?

4. What were MacMurray and Miller going to do when Miller begins to understand the connection between God and fathers?

5. What does Miller believe makes one useless in human society?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the author's intent in writing this book?

2. In Chapter 1, Miller describes several events and activities in which he attempts to interact with adult men. Most of these experiences do not appear to have been successful. In addition to camping, making a derby car, and playing with a remote-controlled airplane, what other "manly man" activities may Miller have missed because he did not have a father?

3. How does Miller meet John MacMurray and what roles do John MacMurray and his family play in Miller's life?

4. Miller identifies several areas in his life affected by not having a father. What are these areas?

5. In Chapter 2, Miller again tells stories that span his life. What is the effect of this storytelling approach on the reader?

6. What does Miller learn about family from living with the MacMurray family?

7. Miller describes how on their first musth, young, orphaned elephants go into the wild and find a male mentor who shows them how to be a male elephant. If the young elephant cannot do this, what happens to the young elephant?

8. In Chapters 5 and 6, Miller makes a connection between authority and love. Describe this connection.

9. In Chapter 6, Authority, Miller uses a metaphor of airline pilots warning each other about weather conditions. What point is Miller illustrating with this story?

10. In Chapter 1, Miller describes meeting Mr. Gentiles as one of the key turning points in his life. Why does Miller believe this?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Miller's writes this memoir about his life as a child raised without a father and the impact this had on his life. However, the role the rest of his family plays in his life is minimally addressed in this book. He refers occasionally to other family members. What do you know about his family when you finish this book? Who does he identify? How does he describe them? What do you believe Miller wants you to believe about his family members? What do you know about his relationship with the family that he does discuss? What techniques does he use to present his family to the reader? Do these techniques work? What do you wish you knew about his family? How would knowing this effect your reaction to this book?

Essay Topic 2

Much of this book is about the author's search for a perfect family and perfect father-son experience to help him learn how be a member of a family. As you finish reading this book, reflect on what does the author suggest are the characteristics of a perfect family. Identify the characteristics that the author identifies throughout the book. Provide supporting evidence from the book. Do you believe there is such a thing as a perfect family? What does today's perfect family look like? How is today's perfect family similar to and different from Miller's ideal family?

Essay Topic 3

In Chapter 11, work ethic is examined. However, the author does not provide a definition of work ethic. Instead, he describes several work ethics characteristics.

a. Identify the characteristics that Miller indicates are parts of a work ethics. How did apply them to himself? Do you agree or not with the characteristics that he identified? What characteristics of a good work ethic did he not address?

b. Miller connects his understanding of work ethics of humans as a spiritual responsibility. How does he do this? Do you agree or not with his explanation of work ethics as spiritual responsibility?

c. In addition, there are many other critical characteristics of a good work ethic. What characteristics did he not address that he should address? Do these additional characteristics contribute to his comparison of work ethics to a faith based explanation?

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