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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 religion does Alice consider while in prison?

2. What does the judge order both sides in the trial to avoid mentioning?

3. What is Alice wearing when she sees the girls?

4. What is the only constant TV program on during the week in jail?

5. With what natural disaster is Howard dealing during this time?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is happening in the Goodwin's lives that starts to let them feel normal again?

2. Describe Theresa's last night with Howard and the girls.

3. What is Howard's interpretation of Alice's fleeing from the girls when they visit the jail for the first time?

4. How does Theresa add comfort to the lives of Howard and the girls at the same time that the farm is dying?

5. What information is Howard able to give Rafferty about Alice's past as well as his own?

6. Why is the lunch between Theresa and Alice so awkward?

7. What is Theresa's response to Alice's arrest and what role will she probably play in Alice's defense?

8. Why does Alice compare Howard to her father?

9. What does Theresa tell Howard regarding her feelings about her and her life with Dan now?

10. How does the sale of the farm affect both Howard and Alice?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Create a brief character study of Theresa. What does she look like? What are her positive personality traits? What are some of her negative characteristics? What are her hopes and fears? What motivates her--if anything--at this point?

Essay Topic 2

Create a brief character study of Nellie. What does she look like? What are her positive personality traits? What are some of her negative characteristics? What are her hopes and fears? What motivates her--if anything--at this point?

Essay Topic 3

Explain the concept of loneliness as it exhibits in the story. Which of the characters are lonely? Are they all lonely in some way? Explain loneliness and the methods and attempts to overcome it.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,164 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample