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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 Jacob, the character introduced in the prologue?

2. What does Jacob promise to do for Marlena in Chapter 7?

3. Why is class interrupted?

4. What does Uncle Al tell Jacob about the possibility of a job with the circus?

5. What is the first job Jacob is given with the circus?

Short Essay Questions

1. What animal does Jacob notice missing from the circus' group of exotic animals?

2. Who comes to Jacob's defense? Why?

3. What job does Jacob take on the first morning when the train stops?

4. How many children does Jacob have?

5. What purchase has Uncle Al made from the bankrupted circus that causes him a great deal of excitement?

6. What does Jacob conclude about Marlena's horse?

7. Why does Jacob become angry with Rosemary, one of his nurses at the assisted-living center?

8. What news does Jacob receive in the days before his final exams?

9. What is the significance of Stars and Stripes Forever in the circus?

10. Who does Jacob meet the next morning on the circus train?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss independence as a theme of the novel. What is independence? How does Jacob feel his independence has been taken from him? Is Jacob right in thinking this? Should a man Jacob's age have more independence or less? Why? Should Jacob be allowed to care for himself and make his own choices? If not, who should have this responsibility? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Jacob decide to join the circus as a young man? Why does Jacob again choose to join the circus as an old man? What does Jacob, both young and old, hope to achieve by joining the circus? What does the circus mean to Jacob? Is joining the circus as an old man only about nostalgia? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the theme of greed. Why is greed a theme in this novel? What characters are influenced by greed? How do the actions of these characters affect the main characters? How would this novel have progressed differently if greed were not a theme? Would the novel change drastically without the greed of certain characters? Why or why not?

(see the answer keys)

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