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. What person in Jacob's life has recently died?

2. Who is Uncle Al?

3. Who does Camel attempt to speak to on Jacob's behalf?

4. Why does Jacob dislike this guest?

5. Why is class interrupted?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Jacob agree to do for Marlena?

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

3. What does Marlena ask Jacob about her horse?

4. What is Jacob studying in school? What are his plans after he gets his degree?

5. Who is Jacob's roommate? What is the source of tension between these two?

6. What does Camel promise Jacob?

7. For how long has Jacob kept this secret?

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

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

10. What does elderly Jacob spend his day doing?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss Prohibition. What is Prohibition? Why was it enacted? How does it affect the common man? How does pPohibition play a role in this novel? Who is directly affected by Prohibition? Who is indirectly affected? Why do you think the author chose to set her novel during prohibition? How would the novel be different if the author had set the story in a different era? Whose life would have been different? Why?

Essay Topic 2

Why does Jacob not talk about his time with the circus when he is old and living in the assisted-living center? Is Jacob ashamed of his past? What is Jacob attempting to hide? Why does Jacob finally tell his story to a stranger, but a stranger who lives with a circus? What is it about the man's job that makes Jacob trust him? What does this say about the culture of the traveling circus?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 708 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample