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This test consists of 5 short answer questions and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Garp do at Mrs. Ralph's house in an effort to pass the time until he can take Duncan home?

2. How does Garp have to communicate after his car accident?

3. Who tries to run Garp over while he is jogging down the road?

4. Where does Garp take his sons when he learns of Helen's affair?

5. In what state does Mrs. Ralph appear to be when Garp starts talking to her, after he sneaks over to her house to check on Duncan?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In _The World According to Garp_, motherhood is discussed both directly and indirectly. Choose three characters from the novel who are mothers (or who assume the role of mother) and discuss 1) what shape their motherhood takes, 2) to whom they are mothers, and 3) what Irving may be saying about motherhood through their character.

Essay Topic 2

At several points in the novel, characters communicate by writing short notes. Choose three instances where a character has to use notes to communicate and discuss 1) why that character must use notes, 2) what the notes symbolize, and 3) what Irving accomplishes by using the little notes as a literary device.

Essay Topic 3

Could _The World According to Garp_ be considered a story that could actually happen in "real" life? Argue either for or against this possibility, making sure to use specific examples from the text that you believe really could (or could not) happen.

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This section contains 295 words (approx. 1 page at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample