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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. Where does Jo go after leaving the police station?

2. Eli says that while living in the group house he felt __________________.

3. Which of the following does Jo NOT notice about her daughter?

4. In Chapter 11, where does Jo meet someone?

5. Why has Sadie called Jo?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does Jo respond when Daniel wants to know if she planned to have an affair with Eli?

2. How has Jo's secret meeting with Eli damaged her relationship with Daniel?

3. Why is Jo almost pleased that Daniel threw the tomato at the wall next to her?

4. What annoys Jo about Cass' visit?

5. Describe the pleasant evening Eli and Jean spend at Jo and Daniel's holiday party.

6. How has Eli rationalized his guilt over killing Dana?

7. Why does Daniel not respond the way Jo thinks he should when she tells him about reporting Eli to the Cambridge police?

8. How does Jo's reporting Eli's murder impact Sadie's life in a way Jo never considered?

9. How does Jo not pick up on why Daniel is upset with her after she meets Eli?

10. How does the police detective respond when Jo tells him of Eli's murder confession?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

WHILE I WAS GONE is a classic story of loss and renewal. What does that classification entail? Why does this book fit into this category? Explain.

Essay Topic 2

Describe the major settings for the novel. Why does Miller use those settings? What is the time period of the story? How important is the time period to the attitudes and issues of the characters?

Essay Topic 3

The theme of struggling with personal identity is an important one in this novel. Describe how it extends through setting, character, and issues. Provide examples for each.

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