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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. Who comes to inform those at the Bundren home that the bridge has gone out in Chapter 20: "Tull"?

2. Who is sitting with Pa on the back porch in Chapter 3: "Darl"?

3. What environmental change does Anse blame for Addie's illness in Chapter 9: "Anse"?

4. Where does Vardaman describe not being able to breathe in Chapter 15: Vardaman"?

5. What does Tull compare a man's brain with in Chapter 16: "Tull"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What question does Darl pose to Jewel in Chapter 10: “Darl”? How does Jewel respond?

2. Who is Lafe and what is his role in the novel?

3. What is Tull's relationship to the Bundrens? What role does he play in the story?

4. What is foreshadowed in Chapter 20: “Tull”?

5. What are the individual agendas of the Bundren family members as they prepare to depart for their journey in Chapter 24: “Vardaman”?

6. How is Cora Tull characterized as a narrator in Chapter 6: “Cora”?

7. What is the main setting of As I Lay Dying? Where does the story begin?

8. What is significant about Vardaman’s assessment of his mother in Chapter 15: “Vardaman”?

9. What actions and events comprise Chapter 22: “Cash”? How does the chapter end?

10. What does "luck" mean to Anse Bundren?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the author's use of irony in As I Lay Dying. What are examples of dramatic irony in the novel? What are examples of situational irony? How does each example in the novel serve the story?

Essay Topic 2

Analyze and discuss the character of Dewey Dell Bundren. How old is Dewey Dell? What qualities stand out the most in her character? How does Dewey Dell differ from the other members of her family?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the author's use of symbolism and imagery in As I Lay Dying. What are some of the predominant symbols in the novel? What do they represent? What characters in the story have symbolic significance? How?

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