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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. According to MacMurray, which of the following is not an important task for families?

2. How, specifically, does Mr. Gentiles help Miller?

3. Miller uses these stories about animals to illustrate what point in Chapter 2?

4. The author wants the reader to encourage and relate to what type of men?

5. Miller also remembers watching a documentary on what animal?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Chapter 3, Miller admits to being resentful towards authority figures. To whom is he referring and why?

2. 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?

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

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

5. According to the information in the prologue, who is the intended audience for this book?

6. Miller presents statistics about the percentage of males in prison raised without a father. He suggests there is a connection between these statistics and the orphaned elephants. What is this connection?

7. In Chapter 5, Spirituality, Miller uses two paradoxes (contradictory statements or actions) to describes his relationship with God? What are they?

8. 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?

9. What role does church play in Miller's life and why does he join a church in Boring, Oregon?

10. Miller suggests that as a child he was attracted to stories about dwarfs and dragons. In particular, he wanted to own and ride a dragon. He believes that the dragon took on the role of a father figure. What characteristics of the dragon do you believe remind him of a father figure?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In this memoir, Miller uses stories from his life to share his journey to adulthood with the reader. What was the original message or theme of this book? As you read the final chapter, how has the original focus and message changed? Who was his intended audience? Has this changed by the end of the book? Support your rationale with examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

Decision making is an important task of manhood according to Miller. Many young men raised without fathers are poorly prepared for this responsibility. Miller suggests that a father's presence is crucial to the development of decision-making skills. Do you agree or disagree? Give reasons to support your decision.

Essay Topic 3

You have finished the book. Evaluate the author's ability to present his message, effectively or not, to the reader. What techniques does the author use to present his message and himself? What are the strengths of this method of memoir writing? What are the limitations of this approach to memoir writing? Does the author have biases in the book? What worked for you as you read this book? What did not? Use examples from the book to support your opinion.

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