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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 Uncle Al order be done with Jacob?

2. Who does Jacob think of when he returns to his room?

3. What is Jacob's one pleasure at the assisted-living center?

4. Who is Marlena, the woman Jacob is looking for in the prologue?

5. Who owns the sick horse Jacob is to examine in Chapter 6?

Short Essay Questions

1. How many children does Jacob have?

2. Where does Jacob go after walking out on his final exams?

3. What does Jacob complain to the nurse about?

4. What have Jacob's parents left to him?

5. Why does Jacob lose his appetite?

6. How does Jacob get a job working security for the cooch show that night?

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

8. What does Camel promise Jacob?

9. What ruins Jacob's one joy in the center?

10. Why does Jacob not wish to sit at his regular table at mealtime?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

What causes the stampede at the end of the novel? Is the stampede begun intentionally? How does Uncle Al die? Did this happen because of the stampede? Why is no one ever punished for Uncle Al's death? How are the stampede and the deaths of Uncle Al and August an example of circus life? Are these good examples? Would these deaths have occurred in another job or situation? Explain your answer.

Essay Topic 2

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?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss Marlena. Who is Marlena? Why is Marlena with the circus? Why did Marlena marry August? Does Marlena love August? Why or why not? How does Marlena feel about Jacob? How does she show this? Why does Marlena choose Jacob over August? What does Marlena hope to get from Jacob?

(see the answer keys)

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