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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 type of transplant is Carlton waiting for in "Firestone"?

2. In "My Manuscript", what quality does Mrs. Peacock have that she says makes her a "housekeeper" instead of a "maid"?

3. Why does the narrator of "Music for Lovers" want to remove his uvula?

4. Why does the narrator of "Parade" specifically choose Oprah's show to appear on?

5. What bothers the narrator of "Music for Lovers" most about his daughter's boyfriend, Rusty?

Short Essay Questions

1. What specific directions does the narrator of "The Last You'll Hear From Me" give Eileen for the dress she is to wear to the funeral?

2. Contrast the narrator in "Firestone" with his co-workers (Carlton and Taylor).

3. In "We Get Along", what does the narrator think the initials W.S. stand for? Why?

4. Describe the narrator's experience with the woman on the bus in "Firestone".

5. How does Chad conduct research for his book in "My Manuscript"?

6. Describe Margery in "We Get Along".

7. Describe the instances of "homophobia" that Glen believes he experiences after speaking with Drew on the phone in "Glen's Homophobia Newsletter".

8. How is Don's success in "Don's Story" ironic?

9. Describe the "kid from down the block", who brings Dawn records in "Music from Lovers", from the narrator's perspective.

10. Describe the scene at Barbra Streisand's house in "Don's Story".

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Violence figures heavily into some of the stories in the collection. Choose two of the stories that include strong examples of violence and:

1) explain how violence is portrayed in the story,

2) describe the impact violence has in the story, and

3) explain what you think the author is trying to say about violence through this story.

Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 2

In many of the stories in "Barrel Fever", Sedaris satirizes popular culture. Select 2 of the stories in which the author uses satire and:

1) describe the ways in which satire is used in the stories,

2) compare and contrast the use of satire in each story, and

3) discuss the impact of satire on the reader's experience of the stories.

Be sure to use evidence from the stories to support your ideas.

Essay Topic 3

Imagine if one of the stories in this collection was missing from it. Choose one of the stories and "remove" it from the collection. Write an essay:

1) explaining the role that the story plays in the collection,

2) describing how the novel would be different without the story, and

3) comment on the quality of the book without the story: Would it be better or worse? Why?

Be sure to use specific examples from the stories to support your ideas.

(see the answer keys)

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