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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. How old is Orest?

2. What does Heinrich bring with him when they finally evacuate?

3. Which character says, "A male follows his path of homicidal rage. It is the biological path. The path of plain dumb blind male biology."

4. Who returns home in Chapter 29 and begins throwing things out of his/her closet?

5. What is the name of the gun Jack takes to the hotel?

Short Essay Questions

1. Where does Jack drive Willie Mink and why?

2. Why is Heinrich crouched outside on the roof at the beginning of Book 2?

3. Where does Jack discover Babette's Dylar?

4. As Jack is going faithfully to his German lessons, what is he is practicing?

5. Who is Willie Mink?

6. What is the (potentially wrong) answer Denise gives Babette when Babette wonders why UFOs always come from upstate?

7. When the family does not want to cook, where do they go and what do they eat?

8. How did Jack act during his appointment with Dr. Chakravarty?

9. Murray says that there are two kinds of people, killers and diers. Which one does Jack say he is and why?

10. According to Heinrich, what are the effects of Nyodene Derivative?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Considering the first two Books of the novel, analyze the way DeLillo uses feelings of non-chalance and calm to characterize the Gladney family. Offer textual examples of how they behave during hectic, stressful, or chaotic situations and explain the fictional techniques (especially dialogue and setting) that help the author achieve this characterization.

Essay Topic 2

Wilder, Jack and Babette's youngest child, is non-verbal in a family of fast-talking, bright and pretty evasive/elliptical conversationalists. Write an analytical essay that explains Wilder's function in the narrative. Be sure to offer an explanation of how Wilder affects the plot, characterization, mood, etc.

Essay Topic 3

The Nyodene D. spill evokes real danger and expresses real anxiety on the part of DeLillo that Americans could be affected by such an "event". Jack even expresses the opinion that only the poor and exposed could be in danger from such things. Write an analytical essay that discusses disaster as a theme in this novel, citing specific textual examples to explain your ideas. How is this a reflection of the time when this book was written, and would it be different if DeLillo were writing today?

(see the answer keys)

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