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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 do Jamie and his mother do when Earl comes back from work?

2. Where will Patty sleep in the trailer?

3. What does Jamie shoot across the room as fast as when his mother calls him?

4. How does Patty say she knows Earl?

5. What lesson did Jamie sleep through?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Patty react to what Van does?

2. What games does Jamie play at the carnival?

3. What is Jamie's last memory of Van?

4. In what way is Earl the perfect person for Patty to have gone to for help?

5. Why does Jamie get scared in this section?

6. What does Jamie see at the beginning of the story?

7. What are the different ways of magic?

8. Who is Agnes and what is her role in the story?

9. What are the living arrangements in the trailer?

10. Describe the trailer and its area?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Examine the author's writing style. How would you describe the author's prose style? What kind of vocabulary does he use? What meaning does the author's style give to the story?

Essay Topic 2

What are Jamie's feelings for Van? Why does he feel sympathy for Van at the end of the book? What does his sympathy suggest about Van and his relationship with Patty?

Essay Topic 3

How does Earl help Patty and her children? Why doesn't push Patty more? What does the way he deals with the situation say about his relationship with Patty and his understanding about how she works?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 857 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample