View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. How does Rosemary react to Jacob's anger over the blinds?

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

3. Why does August become annoyed with Marlena over lunch in Chapter 9?

4. Which relatives does Jacob normally know?

5. What has changed between Chapter 1 and Chapter 2?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. With whom does Jacob have dinner the following night?

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

4. What is Jacob's one joy in the center?

5. What attacks Jacob later that night?

6. What treat does Rosemary sneak onto Jacob's breakfast tray?

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

8. Where is Jacob living in his old age?

9. Why does Jacob lose his appetite?

10. What does Camel promise Jacob?

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 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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 786 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample