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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 friend of Buddy’s does Karen bite on the hand as she attempts to flee her attackers in Part One?

2. Where do Buddy and his friends stop to clean up after trashing the Jerome home and attacking Karen in Part One?

3. What does Jane recall as the “worst mark of her life” in Part One?

4. The narrator describes Mr. Jerome as serving on the committee for what charitable organization every year in Part One?

5. Buddy Walker is described as breaking “the mirror of the girl’s bedroom, using” what, in Part One?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are the central questions that arise in the plot of We All Fall Down? How do these questions relate to the novel’s themes?

2. What is the first example of a character “falling down” in the novel?

3. What is significant about the title of We All Fall Down? From where is this title derived?

4. When the narrative transitions to Buddy’s perspective during the break-in, what does Buddy find when he returns downstairs in the Jerome home?

5. What is significant about the setting of We All Fall Down in relation to the central topics addressed in the novel?

6. At what time do the home invaders depart the Jerome home in the beginning of Part One? What damage is left in their wake?

7. What news does Buddy receive when he arrives at school in the opening of Part Two?

8. Why is Jane Jerome upset when the narrative switches to her storyline in the beginning of Part One?

9. What happens when Buddy’s sister confronts him about his drinking in Part One?

10. Is the violence in We All Fall Down portrayed in a realistic manner? How would you describe its characterization?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

How does the theme of isolation apply to the main characters in the story? How has Jane’s sense of isolation increased since the trashing of her home? How does this theme apply to Buddy? How does it apply to Karen Jerome? How does it relate to the Avenger?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the triggers leading up to Buddy’s drinking problem in the narrative. When is the first occurrence that Buddy got drunk? How did it make him feel? Who encouraged Buddy’s drinking?

Essay Topic 3

Family in We All Fall Down

a. Discuss the differences and similarities between Buddy’s family and Jane’s family in the novel. In what ways do these families differ in their communication style and shows of affection for one another?

b. How do the story’s main characters evolve in their perceptions of family throughout the course of the narrative?

(see the answer keys)

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