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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. Who is Lefty?

2. What does Edna imply that her current financial situation is causing to happen to her?

3. How is Miller treated at the beginning of the meeting?

4. What is being developed in Laboratory A?

5. What do the hackers need to do to be successful?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Joe feel about his responsibilities as the man of the family?

2. What is the point of emphasizing the closeness of Philadelphia to the workers?

3. Why is Dr. Barnes limited by what he can do to express his outrage at the changes in medicine?

4. What are some of Joe's explanations for not making enough money to support his family?

5. How has Sid's economic situation affected his self-esteem?

6. Why doesn't Edna want Joe to yell?

7. What is Joe and Edna's relationship like?

8. What is the significance of the discussion about Fayette's office?

9. Why is Dr. Barnes angry?

10. Are there real advantages of looking at strikes in the laborer's own industry rather than work in general, as Fatt suggests?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Odets' play has been called dated because of the language. The slang and figurative language almost demand a close reading of the play with a good dictionary at hand. How does the language aid communication and relationships in the 1930s? What does it communicate about the speakers and listeners? What if anything could have influenced the language of the working class? What if any contemporary communications are comparable to Odets' language?

Essay Topic 2

Women, particularly mothers, play very influential roles in the lives of the characters, especially Florence and Joe. How does the behavior of Florence's mother on her deathbed compare and contrast with Edna's motherly behavior toward her children. How do both the mothers' behaviors exemplify the difficult role women played in depression era America? What were your reactions and opinions about the roles of the women upon reading the play?

Essay Topic 3

In spite of the anger, violence, deception, and other stressors, Odets manages to write love into the play. Think about the relationships depicted in the play. Who are the characters in the love relationships and what kind are they? What responsibilities to each other do they have? How are the relationships influenced by others? Which relationship is the most romantic and how is that romance shown? What are your thoughts about the couple's decision to delay sex until marriage?

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This section contains 846 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample