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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 book written by Gary Powers does David spend time reading?

2. According to the nurse, what is David's first priority relating to his father's stay in the hospital?

3. What memory does David have upon walking into his grandmother's home?

4. Why does David call his grandmother when he gets home from Egypt?

5. Who does David find out has died while he was in Egypt?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does David's father "tell" him where the badge is?

2. Why does David find out that his superior officers have been so hard on him?

3. Describe the nightmares that David has during basic training.

4. Why is David so upset about his father being in the hospital?

5. Why is David's grandmother upset with his brother Russell?

6. Who has come to visit David's father in the hospital?

7. Describe the hug between David and his grandmother during their first meeting in years.

8. Why is David afraid of the nurse reporting the abuse to the authorities?

9. Why is David sweating while on the plane to San Antonio?

10. What is the only way that David knows how to deal with his father's death?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss why David struggles with forgiving his mother. What does it finally take for David to forgive his mother? Why is it that David struggles with forgiving her?

Essay Topic 2

Why do you believe David never gives up? There are very specific details in the novel as to why David continues to succeed. Choose one of the textual details and address why that detail allowed David to become the man he has.

Essay Topic 3

Describe the importance of David's son Stephen. Why is Stephen so important to David? Why is David willing to sacrifice everything for his son? Is this David's way of showing the world that he is not a "bad person?" How does Stephen save David?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 877 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample