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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 Steinbeck do to accelerate his trip?

2. Which author wrote that you can't go home again?

3. What is Steinbeck's next destination?

4. Where does Steinbeck go to reminisce with an old friend?

5. Why is Steinbeck shocked by Seattle?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Steinbeck admire most about Texans?

2. What dashes Steinbeck's hopes for a good visit with his family?

3. Why is Steinbeck conflicted as he leaves Texas and heads for Louisiana?

4. Why is the rock with the mica in it so important to Steinbeck?

5. What happens to Steinbeck in Minneapolis/St. Paul?

6. What does Steinbeck encounter in New Orleans that sickens him?

7. Why does Steinbeck fall in love with Montana?

8. Explain the irony in the scene where Steinbeck and Charley explore a sequoia grove.

9. What is the purpose of Steinbeck's stop in Texas?

10. Explain how the Badlands are a study in opposites.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Explain how Steinbeck was able to diffuse a family fight between a gruff man in Idaho and the man's 20-year-old son who wanted to be a hairdresser in a big city. It is not stated, but there is the possibility that the young man was gay and the father could not accept this part of his son. Do you think this is the position Steinbeck was able to ascertain quickly? Explain why the topic of homosexuality was even more taboo in 1960 than it is today.

Essay Topic 2

Steinbeck is a master of crafting literary descriptions for his readers. Choose a paragraph from the book which you find especially descriptive. How do you think Steinbeck was able to craft it the way he did? What is so appealing to you about the passage? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Explain some of the examples of regionalism found in the book. Can regionalism include more than accents and food? What else encompasses the culture and personality of a region? What are the major differences Steinbeck finds as he travels from place to place?

(see the answer keys)

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