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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. In addition to the money, what does Joe bring to Dora on their first date?

2. What does Father Stock do when a homeless man does not pay for his ice cream?

3. Who carries Joe upstairs to his room in Chapter 1?

4. What does new potential parishioner Mr. Lane try to use his money to get from Joe?

5. What does Joe see in the beginning of Chapter 4 in the Rector’s study while his is a seminarian?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Joe contracts and STD at the end of Chapter 3?

2. What does Joe give to Father Stock in hopes he will decide against the special collection?

3. What does Joe’s dad tell the party goers that Joe asked him while listening to the priest discuss the Dollar-A-Sunday club at church?

4. What is Joe’s impression of the new curate when he arrives in Chapter 11?

5. Why does Sister Agatha tell Joe about being a a secular priest rather than a priest in the religious order?

6. Describe Joe’s confession to Father Day in Chapter 8.

7. Describe Joe and Ivy’s conversation about God at the end of Chapter 1.

8. What does Ed Butler discuss with Joe in Chapter 7, and what is Joe’s advice?

9. Who is Jim Gurrier, introduced in Chapter 8?

10. What good news does Joe receive in Chapter 10?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The story is told entirely from Joe’s perspective, using third-person omniscient narrator. Analyze the author’s choice to tell the story from Joe’s point of view. How does viewing the events from Joe’s point of view affect the plot?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay outlining Joe’s career as a priest. Include each of Joe’s postings and what these say about where Joe is in his journey.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay exploring the author’s choice to include Joe’s inner thoughts / imaginary conversations in the novel. Why might the author have done this and what impact does this have on the story? Use some examples from the text.

(see the answer keys)

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