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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. Which college is Daniel attending?

2. What does Ann put in a cubbyhole in the Los Angeles apartment?

3. How does Adele sabotage Ann's first date with a boy?

4. What did Adele really do with the money Ann sent her?

5. How old was Carol when Adele was born?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the episode of the red shoes exhibit Adele's not being fit to parent?

2. When does Carol realize that Adele is using her and the family?

3. What is the symbolism of the ants crawling on the carrot cake?

4. What is the symbolism of the sparkly red shoes and Ann's hair being cut by a hooligan?

5. What does Ann do to allow her mother to live in a little cottage?

6. How does Carol show depth of character in her life that Adele could not possibly understand?

7. How does Adele still try to manipulate Ann by spending the money inappropriately?

8. How does Carol's perspective of her relationship with Adele underscore Adele's dysfunctional behavior?

9. How does Carol and Jimmy's son, Benny, die?

10. Describe how Carol's life is much more dramatic in reality than Adele's theatrics.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the role of the family in ANYWHERE BUT HERE. What does it mean for each of the main characters? How does the family evolve in its support of each other? How typical is this family to most American families living during the 1990s?

Essay Topic 2

Mental cruelty seems to be almost an unnamed character in the book. How pervasive is the sense of psychological abuse? Why does it have such a prevalent place in Ann's life because of her mother? Explain how an inanimate object or characteristic can be a character.

Essay Topic 3

Create a character study of Lillian. What are her physical characteristics? What are her motivations? What are her fears? What are her dreams? What else can you say about Lillian?

(see the answer keys)

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